Alchemy and Vending Machines
by DuoTrunksIzayaDRRRotaku
Summary: What happens when Ikebukuro's greatest terrors realize there is more to themselves than meets the eye? The Full Metal Alchemist has been reborn once more...as Shizuo Heiwajima...the most violent man in Ikebukuro who loves milk and is tall...Will he unravel the truth about himself, or will he throw a few vending machines through it first? Sorry, couldn't think of a title. Off hiatus
1. Chapter 1

Hello. This is just a brief, untitled plunny that I'd like to get out of me right now before it evaporates. This is an epic idea, so I may as well unleash it here on Deviantart before it becomes too absurd to handle. The Ikebukurians are used to ridiculous things, but what happens when their worldview becomes even MORE ridiculous? FMA/ Durarara crossover. IF anyone else has done this, I apologize, the idea just sprang up in my mind rather suddenly. You can guess who's been reincarnated as who. I just started this ficlet. :D

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><p>Chapter 1 The most dangerous man in Ikebukuro<p>

Ah, Ikebukuro. A calm, safe, peaceful side of Tokyo. Where people always lived in happiness, and where nothing bad could ever go wrong, no matter what, right? Wrong. Things were, and are always amiss in this town. It's simply the way it is.

So that was why no one blinked an eye when a vending machine was hurled across the parking lot of an ice cream store from seemingly nowhere and vaulted at superhuman speed toward its target, a young man with spiky dark hair and crimson eyes who could effectively be compared to the devil himself in human form. The young man didn't look perturbed by this extraordinary event in the slightest, in fact, he looked rather...bored.

He just sighed and whipped out of the way, in time for the vending machine to miss and hit the ground, disturbing no one except some passing ants, who quickly scurried aside, eager to avoid the man who was rapidly approaching at a high speed.

"Why don't you just die, you bastard? I've told you never, never, never, to come back here, damn it!" The man screamed, stepping on his cigarette and crushing it under his foot.

Now people were snapping pictures, whispering and smiling. They knew full well what was going on here. It was just another ordinary day in Ikebukuro, the city of gangs like the Dollars and the Yellow Scarves.

"...Look, it's him. It's Shizuo Heiwajima! He's starting a fight again! How cool!" A girl cooed to her friends. All of them snapped pictures of the incredible scenario as it unfolded before them.

"It's Izaya!" A girl squealed.

Izaya looked over at the crowd for a moment, and then tucked his hands into his pockets. "You know, Shizu-chan, this is getting boring. Why is it you always engage in the same tactics every time we meet? You always get angry, throw stuff at me, curse, get angry, throw stuff at me...what's next, you attack me about being tall?"

Shizuo blinked and then an odd look made its way on his face for a moment. "That's an odd thing to ask me, Izaya. Last I checked...I think the answer is yes...I'm just tall enough that I'll be the last thing you'll see before I send you to an early grave!" He screamed before hurling a stop sign at a bored Izaya, who dodged and aimed with his knife.

"Well, see you later, Shizu-chan! It's been fun!" Izaya Orihara, Ikebukuro's number one troll, screamed as he darted away from a furious Shizuo, who took off in hot pursuit, but the clever bastard had evaded him once again.

Shizuo stomped his foot on the ground irritably. "Damn it...Damn it...Damn it...DAMN IT ALL! THAT STUPID BASTARD GOT AWAY FROM ME AGAIN! That bastard thinks he's so much better than me because he's higher up in rank...well, I'll show-"

Shizuo paused. Higher up...in _what_? Being an arrogant asshole who was impossible to stand being around? Shizuo lit a cigarette again and inhaled, trying to calm himself down. Being around that asshole was so freaking irritating, he couldn't even think straight with him around.

"Why'd that jerk say I'd attack him about being tall? I'm just lucky I went through that growth spurt when I was younger..." He mumbled, folding his arms and trying hard to compose himself. Oh, Tom was approaching. Good old Tom, he could deal with Shizuo when the latter threw his temper tantrums. No one else could.

He casually messed with his blond hair, dyed though it may be, at times he felt like he had been a natural blond once before-somewhere, long ago. Shizuo shook those feelings off as soon as they came, but from time to time, the weird feeling known as Deja Vu would have the balls to attack Heiwajima Shizuo and pay the price for it.

"So what'd you wreck this time." It was not a question, but a statement.

Shizuo nodded and pointed a finger at the now wrecked parking lot and the vending machine tipped over in the center. People were now crowding around it, whispering amongst themselves. "...Bastard showed up and pissed me off. I just tried to kill him again."

"Izaya, you mean?" Tom said simply.

Shizuo removed his cigarette from his mouth and bent it slightly with his fingers. "I don't even know why I hate him. I just do...I just want to kill him."

Tom looked confused but shrugged it off as a weird trait of Shizuo's. When you hung around Shizuo, ordinary things took a hike. That was why anything that came out of Shizuo's mouth usually was the truth. He wasn't the sort to lie, he just said things bluntly and couldn't control his temper. This also made others afraid of him, unfortunately.

It was too bad, since underneath it, Shizuo was actually quite a nice guy. He just often was too blunt. Tom didn't care. Shizuo was...well, Shizuo. He would always be an uncontrollable pain-in-the-ass and he was fine with it that way.

It was at times like this, Shizuo thought, as he lay on his bed, smoking like usual, that the odd thoughts usually came into his mind, pestering him just like Izaya did. How he wished he could beat them to a bloody pulp, but dreams had no thought or form, just an idea, a meaningless void that existed somehow and had a presence...where had he heard that before?

He often saw a man who resembled Izaya in his dreams, but he looked different...and everything seemed different as well...there were times when he was a child that his right arm and left leg felt different from everything else. They just hurt at times...his muscles were different from other people's. That was the convenient explanation the doctors had given his parents and the applesauce they had fed to his face.

But Shizuo knew, though he hated violence, he still couldn't help but punch someone if they pissed him off. In school, the excuses varied, from looking at him funny, to insulting his height, to saying he looked funny, to not even saying anything to him...before he knew it, he started enjoying the thrills fighting presented to him.

Yet there was one other thing about himself he knew that was odd...he enjoyed drinking milk, so why was it every now and again he felt the urge to slam it against the wall? Then he'd be like Izaya if he did that...

He crushed the cigarette he was smoking in the palm of his hand, watching as the flames died down in his hand as he smothered the oxygen in them. "Fire...he's exactly like fire...Izaya is...like a bastard...a _flaming bastard_."

He stared at the remains of his cigarette, knowing full well he'd have to get another. "Damn," He cursed, "One day I'll kick his royal ass to hell and back! Izaya, you will die!"

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><p>"Humans are so fascinating..." Izaya purred, swinging around in his chair like a madman. "It's especially fascinating when you don't know who you are or try to escape that unexciting reality for another...right, Mikado Ryuugamine? But the most difficult pawn on my chessboard has to be you, Shizu-chan. I can't wrap my mind around how you think. You're a nosy, annoying brat, Shizu-chan."<p>

He chuckled. "No need to worry. Sooner or later, I'll figure out who he is."

Izaya thought absently, 'I've always been a dog person. I think it's because they're loyal and unquestioning. The perfect pawns to use.' A smirk crawled up his face. "Shizu-chan...who are you? There's more to you than the obnoxious brute..."

That night, Shizuo dreamt of two young boys with blond hair...of dripping blood, of something cold and hard and gray, and of again throwing things at Izaya. This time, he'd bashed his head in, only Izaya was in some sort of whack-a-mole display and Shizuo cheerfully threw the mallet down again and again, but again the sneaky bastard avoided each whack.

The last thing that remained on his mind was that of something burning. He awoke to find he had forgotten to put out his cigarette. Quickly, he stomped out the flames with a good kick.

His left leg ached a bit. Shizuo disregarded it and rolled back over on his poor covers to try and get some sleep.

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><p>Celty stared at the newspaper article in front of her and shook her head. 'He's up to no good again, Shizuo. Can't he ever put a lid on his temper? Well, he wouldn't be the same if he wasn't.'<p>

Speaking of Shizuo, there he was, quiet and still, lighting a cigarette like always...just like he always did. "Hey, Celty," He said quietly.

Celty wondered what was up. As if reading her mind, he looked at her and shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing much, same old, same old. Stupid snake is still slithering around...wrapping his coils into places he shouldn't be in..."

'Calm down,' Celty wrote, 'You're being too irrational again.'

Shizuo nodded. "You're right. Say, Celty, have you ever heard of..._alchemy?" _

Celty gave him a funny "look", 'Isn't that a dead science or something? Shinra might know more about it.'

Shizuo's face changed for a moment and then he shrugged, in distinct Shizuo fashion. "Never mind. It was a stupid question to ask, anyway."

'No question is stupid, Shizuo,' Celty typed.

"Sometimes you don't get sarcasm, Celty," Shizuo retorted.

Celty shook her head. 'You are impossible at times.'

Shizuo shook his head. "It's the world that's impossible, full of annoying people and annoying sounds and annoying noises...when I hear them...I just...you know...I just want to be able to control my environment, somehow..."

'That's impossible,' Celty typed.

"I know," Shizuo said and then fell silent. The two of them were comfortable with the silence that fell over the two of them. Each of them had their own pressing desires but they would definitely find their answers sooner or later.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:Time for the next chapter!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Two: Kasuka's secret<strong>

There were some things that never changed about his brother, Kasuka Heiwajima, also known as Yuuhei Hanajima, thought. He went under another name to protect his brother's privacy. It wasn't because he was embarrassed to be related to a brother who threw temper tantrums and threw stuff everywhere and got mad and hit people over the head. No, as a matter of fact, he wasn't. He did wish his brother could control his temper a little more, but...it wasn't just that.

Kasuka Heiwajima had a secret; one that he didn't tell too many people. In fact, he was used to his brother throwing temper tantrums, because as a matter of fact he and Shizuo had always been brothers, even before they'd been born. In another life, he and his brother had been very close.

He knew his brother could never remember his past life. But Kasuka remembered his past life and the memories of that were enough to make him emotionless because he didn't like to feel. Feelings had hurt him enough in his past life that he wanted to not feel. He was an actor now and he didn't have to spend time in a suit of armor anymore. Yes, Kasuka had been Alphonse Elric in a previous life; the boy cursed to spend his life in a suit of armor, until he had finally gotten out of it.

His brother had not been so lucky. He had died out on the battlefield in his twenties, but that had probably been what he had wanted to have happen, anyway. Alphonse had been quite lonely without his brother, but he'd felt like he would meet him again, and he had.

For Edward Elric was reincarnated as Shizuo Heiwajima, his one and only older brother. Their relationship was still pretty much the same. In his new life, Edward Elric still had an explosive temper, though he was tall, of all ironies, and had still flipped out over his height, although Kasuka could say that his brother (formerly Edward) probably had an even _worse_ temper now.

At least, Edward had thrown people around for a bit and then calmed down, but with Shizuo, it was like he was built to _never_ calm down. Shizuo would get mad at someone for _almost _anything. Kasuka remembered how once he and Shizuo had been on a bus and someone had been stupid enough to try and make _Shizuo_ move his seat and Shizuo had snapped and had lifted his bus chair right up and tried to throw it at them and, subsequently, they had been thrown off the bus by the bus driver, but not before breaking a few bones in the poor man's body.

As a result, Kasuka had decided to continue to practice the I-don't-know-my-brother syndrome, something which he had been very good at in his old life, too.

'Figures, my brother's out causing trouble again,' He thought as he read the paper, which talked about his brother throwing things at one Orihara Izaya. 'Is it just me...or do I think Izaya Orihara could be the Colonel? I mean, there's only one person who can piss brother-er, Shizuo off and that's the Colonel. So they must have a rivalry in this life, too.'

Kasuka face-palmed. His brother still never changed. Whenever Shizuo had decided to dye his hair blond, Kasuka had just laughed for a long time until Shizuo asked him what was up and Kasuka had just said it was nothing. The irony of his brother dying his hair blond...it was like he was going back to his old ways again.

Not only that, if there was one thing about his brother that was different, it was that Shizuo Heiwajima actually seemed to be more...laid-back at times than he had ever been as Edward. When he _wasn't throwing things at people, wasn't chasing Izaya, _he was actually pretty calm and collected and quiet.

It was like some of his own traits had become part of Edward.

His cell rang then. He answered.

"_Yo, Kasuka. What's up?" _The same, cool voice that he would recognize anywhere said.

"Nothing much, Shizuo. Read about you in the paper again. You were attacking Orihara again."

He heard his brother puff his cigarette and then continue, "_Good to know, Kasuka. Celty's here with me and I just asked her about what alchemy is and she said she doesn't know." _

At this, Kasuka nearly dropped his cell phone in shock.

"_What, Kasuka? Do you know what it is?" _Shizuo said.

"No, not at all," Kasuka lied, "So, I guess life's the same for you, Shizuo."

"_Pretty much," _Shizuo said calmly. "_So I guess Izaya the flaming bastard isn't dead yet. Damn, I'll have to pound him into next week." _

'Typical brother,' Kasuka thought briefly.

Shizuo hung up after a nice chat with his brother and turned to where Celty was still standing there.

"Was that your brother who called?" She typed.

"Yup, more or less. Be sure to ask Shinra what that alchemy thing is. It baffles me." Shizuo said.

"I will," She typed back, as she sped off, leaving behind a puzzled Shizuo with his thoughts.


	3. Chapter 3

**a/n:Well, it's time to update again, isn't it? I hope you all enjoy this story. :D **

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><p><strong>Chapter 3 Shizuo's dilemma<strong>

"Shizuo asked you about alchemy?" Shinra Kishitani asked his future wife and current partner, Celty, as she sat on the couch, typing a response back in her little cell phone.

'Yes, he did,' She said, 'He wanted to know what it was.'

A gleam flashed across Shinra's face then and there, which Celty noticed. It seemed that he indeed knew something and was keeping it from her. What, exactly, was he hiding from her?

As if reading her mind, he spoke briefly, "Yes, I know of it."

'What do you know?' She typed.

His glasses shone slightly. "I'm not telling." 'So, Shizuo-kun wants to ask about that, huh?'

He should have known from the start that the young man would have asked about such a thing. After all, he should have known who he was from the start. Well, it wasn't like the boy-er, young man-would recognize him after their new lives had started up and their new memories had replaced their old.

Still, he had been pleasantly surprised to discover that Shizuo, his best friend, was in fact Edward Elric's reincarnation. It was quite a shock, to say the least. At least this time, he would never have to say goodbye so fast-an image came back of him, lying on the ground bleeding in front of a telephone booth, Roy's voice coming through the line as he tried to breathe through his already punctured lungs...

"Shizuo-kun is such a good person, isn't he, Celty?" Shinra said matter-of-factly, turning to look at the young woman, who was busy typing away on her chatroom with her friends.

'Alchemy...what exactly is it, Shinra?'

"Hmm...that's a good question. Basically, it's a dead science that was once used in everyday life for various things. How can I explain something as complex as alchemy to you...Celty? You ever hear of the principle 'Equivalent Exchange?'"

Celty 'looked' at him and then shook her head. 'No, what does it mean?'

"Basically...it means you take one thing in exchange for something else. So, in alchemy, certain parts of it required giving up something the person desired more than anything else...like an arm or a leg to bring someone back from the dead...well, those were the forbidden parts of alchemy. Actually, making gold with alchemy was considered illegal. There should be something on alchemy on the Internet, Celty. That's all I can say for now."

'...You sure you're not making this up?' Celty typed.

"Nope, this all happened a long time ago, in a country that no longer exists today, Celty. It's sad, but history sometimes turns into legend. It's funny how people don't recognize the validity of some legends and instead think they were never true," Shinra said happily.

'How do you know so much? You talk like you lived through it,' Celty typed.

"Hmmm...maybe...are you calling me old, Celty? I definitely know that, like Izaya-kun, I will be young forever!"

'You can't go around exaggerating forever,' Celty typed, causing Shinra to sigh.

"I know, Celty. Can you ever forgive me?" He said melodramatically.

The door to their apartment opened then and Izaya walked in.

"Hello there, Celty!" He said extravagantly.

Celty 'glared' at him.

"What, no greeting?" Izaya deadpanned. "That's not very nice. Hey there, Shinra. I had a nice romp with Shizu-chan today."

"I guess you two had your fight again, huh?" Shinra deadpanned.

"Yup," Izaya said cheerily, "Shizu-chan is as grumpy as ever."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N:Oohh, two more people will be revealed-well, one hinted, the other revealed to another character. So far

**Ed=Shizuo**

**Al=Kasuka**

**Roy=Izaya**

**Hughes=Shinra**

**Others...? Well, we'll have to wait and see. :D **

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><p>Chapter 4 The conundrum of the man known as Shizu-chan<p>

"So, Izaya, you're always starting fights with Shizuo, aren't you?" Shinra asked, staring at his best friend for a few moments. It was at times like this when he was with Orihara Izaya that his mind tended to drift back to his old world, and he had to be reminded of his dearest friend, Roy Mustang. What was that man doing with his life now? Had he forgotten about him?

What about Hawkeye and his daughter Alicia? He had lost so many people from that life when he died. He had been lucky enough to find Edward and Alphonse again; as Kasuka and Shizuo, but...Roy Mustang...what had happened to him?

"Hey, Shinra..." Izaya began, looking a little uncertain, something that didn't suit him.

"What is it?" The doctor asked, turning to regard his best friend. To be honest; he was curious about what his old friend would have said to Izaya Orihara if he saw him. He knew full well that Roy Mustang would never like the lack of empathy the young man had for others and would never approve of him.

"You know, I'm fascinated with Shizu-chan."

"I know..."

"I wonder what makes him tick, Shinra, and also...you know, I really like dogs."

"So?" Shinra said.

"I like dogs because they're so _loyal."_

At this point, Shinra nearly felt the urge to gasp. Where the hell had he gotten that statement from?

"Oh, I dunno...it sort of came to me in a dream or something, but think about it...dogs are the perfect loyal pawns...they'll follow orders no matter what you do to them, heh heh, isn't that interesting?"

He then noticed how Shinra's mouth was wide open. "What is it, Shinra? Something wrong?" He asked.

'Wait a second,' He thought, '_Izaya_ is...Roy? This has to be some sort of twisted joke. Oh, Roy, what have you become?'

Who would have thought the kind ladies' man could become someone so warped in this life...oh, well. His mind came back to rest on Edward Elric and how his reincarnation was doing. 'Heh, you're pretty much the same, aren't you, Edward...or should I say...Shizuo?'

It certainly made sense now. It explained why Shizuo hated Izaya. 'Could it be that on a subconscious level, he remembers Roy Mustang? No...I'd say Edward respected Roy as much as he disliked him. It was just that Edward hated following orders. No, that was more like it. Still, to think they want to kill each other in another life...it's such a shock...'

"What's wrong, Shinra?" Izaya said, looking at him in concern. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"You don't know the half of it," Shinra mumbled.

"Shinra, what's wrong?" Izaya pressed, now looking at him in deep concern. "You know...you're the only man I trust more than anyone."

At this, once again Shinra did a double take. Hadn't Roy said those same words to him. "_Roy.."_ He began.

"Who's Roy?" Izaya said before blinking. "Is this the name of some secret lover of yours?"

"No...it's nothing...it's just the name of a person from a TV show I was watching, right, Celty?"

Celty typed, 'Come to think of it, there was someone named Roy on a movie we were watching earlier. He was a real skirt-chaser and he had a dozen women coming after him.'

"Kinda like me, huh~?" Shinra said. "After all, there were quite some cute women in there-ugh..."

Celty immediately launched out her 'smoke' and some vapors came out and attacked Shinra.

"My, my, you have quite the jealous girlfriend." Izaya teased. "Shinra, are you hiding something from me?"

"Um...no, not at all, Izaya..."

'Damn, his mind never misses a thing, doesn't it?'

"Shinra, you're lying, aren't you?"

"And what if I was, Izaya? Maybe there are some things that are never meant to be known..."

"Heh, heh, to me, such a thing does not exist. I wish to know everything there is to know about humans, so that way I can use them all to my heart's content!" He chirped.

Shinra had to repress a shudder. Roy Mustang, at heart, had been a very brave and determined young man; determined to thwart evil and go out with women, but he had still respected them as individuals. Who would have ever thought that he would become the man known as Orihara Izaya, a complete and utter sociopath? Sociopath was putting it lightly...

"Shinra, why are you looking at me as though you hate me?"

"I could never hate you, Izaya..." Shinra said... 'I only hate what you've become...'

"Hey, Shinra, did you know fire is quite fascinating to me?"

"Fire?" He said, doing a double take again.

"Well...how should I put it? I like setting things on fire...it'd be cool to set someone on fire, I imagine...wouldn't that be interesting?"

'You really are messed up.' Celty typed.

"That's mean. I'm definitely not as freaky as you, Celty. I'd want a woman who'd be willing to be my slave to the fullest."

"You won't be scoring any dates when you talk like that-"

"You're mean."

'Not as mean as you are,' He thought.

"Mairu and Kururi are coming in a week. I think I'll be moving out of town!" Izaya complained.

"Aren't you going to look after your siblings?"

"No, they can't stand me, I can't stand them. What's the point?"

"You do know Shizuo's little brother's coming in a week, right?"

"He is! How interesting. I just will have to torment him over that-"

"You shouldn't do stuff like that. Shizuo loves his younger brother very much."

"I know that. It's just an amusing weakness of his to exploit. HA HA HA HA!"

'I miss the old you,' He thought as Izaya made himself at home with a cup of ootoro and ate it while Celty kept her distance. "Roy..."

"Who's this Roy person you keep on mentioning?"

"No one in particular...it's just that the Roy person was a very unique character-"

'Hmm...I don't know why...but I hate that name. I can't stand it...I can't wrap my mind around it...dammit.'

Why was it that Izaya had such a strong preoccupation with fire, anyway? He liked seeing things burn...especially people...he'd always hated the rain. He had seen movies where people could flick their fingers and fire would happen. He tried flicking his fingers to see what would happen. Of course, nothing happened.

'That stuff's just in science fiction movies...' He thought.

"Say, Izaya..."

"What is it, Shinra?"

"Speaking of which, Shizuo came by and asked Celty some very interesting questions."

"Really now?"

"Yeah...he asked her about alchemy..."

"Alchemy, huh? That's a myth..." Izaya said dismissively.

"I know," Shinra said, "It was supposed to be used way back in the Middle Ages."

"Alchemy, huh? I don't believe in nonsense like that. I think the things real life people can do are much scarier than fairy tales like that."

Shinra just smiled. 'I'll always protect you, Roy...even if, you are a sociopath now.I will protect you from yourself and the world...' He thought as Izaya walked out after bidding them a farewell.

'You seem troubled...' Celty wrote.

"Well...I'm worried about Izaya..."

'Why worry about him? He can handle himself.'

"I know that...I'm just afraid he might get into a fight with the wrong person one day and then..."

'And then what? You sound like you're worrying over nothing...'

"Yeah...you're right..."

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><p>Izaya emitted a loud yawn as he walked down the street, scratching his messy dark hair with one hand. For a second, he thought he was wearing a glove. 'Strange,' He thought. 'I always hated gloves...what was it with him today, and who was that Roy person he was talking about...? Oh, well, it has nothing to do with me...'<p>

Suddenly, a garbage can came sailing down the street. 'Oh boy here he comes...'

"I-IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-ZZZZZZZZZZZAAAAAAAYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"How'd you find me, Shizu-chan?"

"Unfortunately, I ran across your stench, flea."

"How rude. I'll be glad to tell you I do take a bath all the time, Shizu-chan."

"Whatever, flea...it's your turn to die!" He yelled before picking up a sign post and throwing it at Izaya.

He dodged. "Shizu-chan, you're still too slow!"

"DAMN YOU, IZAYA!"

"Whatever, Shizu-chan."

"Damn him...why does he always have to ruin everything?" Shizuo growled as he walked down the street. People immediately steered clear of him.

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><p>However, it was then that an unexpected visitor came up to him. It was a brown-haired boy and beside him was a brown-haired girl with blue eyes. She looked at Shizuo for a few moments before smiling.<p>

"You must be Shizuo Heiwajima." She said. "I'm Harima Mika."

"She's my love," Seiji said.

"I see..." Shizuo said, not certain why something about this girl intrigued him.

The girl looked at him for a few moments.

"Um, pardon me..." She said, tilting her head, "But...have we met before?"

Shizuo just blinked. "I don't think so."

"I mean, I'm not cheating on Seiji-kun or anything, I just thought you and I met somewhere before..."

"Is he a former boyfriend?" Seiji asked, eying Shizuo warily.

"No..." Shizuo said, "Sorry about it, but I've never met your girlfriend before in my life..."

However those blue eyes of hers...were very familiar. He blinked, and blinked...and blinked some more.

"Sorry...but you're mistaken..."

"Do you drink milk?" She asked.

Shizuo raised a brow at the odd question. "Yeah, I like milk. Why's that?"

To his surprise, she laughed. "You just reminded me of someone I used to know who hated milk."

"How could anyone hate milk? That's stupid..."

'Oh well.'

"See you around, Shizuo Heiwajima-kun..." She purred as she and Seiji left, leaving behind a bewildered Shizuo.

"Who the hell was that?" Shizuo asked. "Why'd she act so familiar with me? I don't even know her. DAMMIT!" He cried, causing a little boy near him to jump and run away.

_**Anyone have any guesses as to who Mika is?**_


	5. Chapter 5 Bosskado

**A/N:Thanks for the support. I really appreciate you guys and all the reviews. This fic is not over, don't worry. I'm putting some of my old fics on hiatus, and am mostly updating my PH, DRRR, DC, and Madoka Fics. As for fans of Be careful what you wish for, it will be updated soon. Ghosts from another life will be updated as well. I'm mostly working on my HP crossovers. But my other stuff will still be updated. Still, Mika is Winry...so who could Seiji be? Dark chapter on the way with lots of Bosskado...I fucking love Bosskado...  
><strong>

**Chapter Five **Puzzle Pieces

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><p>Seiji Yagiri stared at his true love, no, the replacement for his true love-that beautiful head, that beautiful girl who couldn't open her eyes, with that dark hair like this one...this girl was just a fake, a fake who pretended to be the one that he loved-this girl could never be <em>Celty. <em>Yet it was amazing that no matter what he told her, she still stuck by his side. In a way, he was grateful for that and in a way it made him resent her.

"Why do you pretend to be the woman I love?" He said.

She just looked at him with confused eyes. "That's because I actually love you, Seiji-kun, and I want to be with you."

In a way, he supposed, he liked her company. But he only liked her for her neck; he didn't like her for her personality. She had stalked him; stalking a person was not true love, it was obsession. Perhaps his sister would say the same thing, but his sister was a hypocritical bitch. She was in love with him in a sick way and he would never accept it. His sister had raised him from the time he was born, because their parents were jerks.

He supposed he should have noticed her twisted signs; he could remember going to sleep and her being in his room; then sometimes she would wind up in bed with him, curled up around him. At first, he'd thought nothing of it, but as he got older and she still kept on doing it, he found himself very creeped out. Didn't she have any sense of privacy? There were times when she would bathe with him; it was so creepy.

Then that was when he realized that his sister was attracted to him, and he was thoroughly repulsed. Brothers and sisters shouldn't be attracted to each other, it was just morally wrong. Some people called his obsession with that head wrong, but at least she wasn't related to him. That was the only comfort he could have. She was a complete and utter stranger he could be in love with; maybe he could reunite her head and give her the proper body she deserved, so that way he could be in love with her, and yet here he was, stuck with this girl, who dared go by the name of his Celty. Not hers. She would never be Celty; she was just a replacement for her.

But in a way, her presence was nice, and in another way, it just pissed him off.

"How did you know that guy?" He said.

She turned to look at him in confusion. "Eh?"

She's smarter than she appears; he knows that much. She pretends to be stupid, but she's not. He doesn't know whether to like that or hate that about her. "That guy...the blond dude. That's Shizuo Heiwajima. How the heck would you know a crazy guy like him?"

"I don't know," She said, tilting her head to the side, "I just have dreams about him and he appears in them...only he's different...the boy I mistook him for is much shorter...and he threw temper tantrums over his height-"

"Is this an idea for a book? It sounds stupid."

"I'm convinced that it happened to me. But that boy wasn't my love; you are."

"Whatever," He muttered.

"By the way, Seiji-kun, do you like milk?"

He said, "No, I hate it."

"Ha ha, that reminds me so much of the person in my dream! Maybe you're more like him than I imagined, Seiji-kun! Maybe we did meet in a past life!"

He shook his head, staring at her in disbelief. 'This girl's nuts...then again, I should've known she was nuts from the moment she tracked me down and tried to bang open my door.'

"You know, I'm not mad that you hit me on the head. I'm not mad at all..."

Yup, this girl was truly nuts. But then again, so was he in some people's eyes. Screw what other people thought. He only did what he thought was right.

"You're sure that you didn't know that guy?"

"No, of course not, Seiji-kun, because I'd be cheating on our love if I did."

"All right..." He said.

"Maybe Celty knew him," She piped up.

"I don't think so."

"When I was taking that test..." She began.

"Oh," He said.

"You were sitting across from me, like I said before." She said, "But the person next to me had a really cool name that meant emperor of dragon peak!"

"The emperor of dragon peak?"

'Yeah, you know; your classmate, the one who tracked me down, Mikado Ryuugamine."

"Oh, him," Seiji said, not really knowing too much about the boy. He seemed like a nice kid, but he seemed rather bland. "He seems pretty nice, but there's nothing special about him."

"Whenever I saw the way he moved his pen, I was fascinated," She said, "You know, he just seemed to me like an extraordinary individual."

"Extraordinary?" He said, "But he seems ordinary to me."

"You see...it seems like he's always hiding behind a mask. You know how he always seems so happy and stuff? I feel like he's only pretending to; and that he's like me, Seiji-kun. I can't stand ordinary things. I hate them. I get the feeling that boy's like me, he seeks out adventure and he hates ordinary things. But I also get the feeling that his true personality is much darker than you and I imagine. Isn't that exciting?"

"Not exactly," Seiji said, sort of disturbed. He didn't know what exactly his sister had against the boy Mikado. He had tracked down his love for him, after all.

"He's a member of the Dollars," She said matter-of-factly.

"He is? Then he must've worked with them in order to find you."

"Who knows how many people are members of the Dollars? I heard Shizuo Heiwajima is a member, and that Russian guy Simon is with them!"

"Really?" He said, "I always hear my big sister complaining about them all the time."

"I think they're good people," She chirped.

"Well, they saved you so they must be." He said. 'I'm just using you,' He thought, 'Until I find her, and then I'm ditching you.'

Mika glanced back at the blond-haired man, but he was already gone. Why had he felt so familiar to her anyway? Such a strange feeling...and why did she feel like she should have a wrench in her hand? Then again, if she threw anything at Shizuo Heiwajima, obviously it wouldn't hurt him.

'He's the same as always...unpredictable...wait, why am I saying this about a person I barely even know? Maybe I do know him from somewhere, but it's insignificant compared to Seiji-kun.'

* * *

><p>Meanwhile...<p>

Shizuo frowned as he walked down the street.

"Hey, isn't that Shizuo Heiwajima?"

"Shizuo?"

Shizuo ignored them and lit his cigarette, troubled. 'Why the hell did that girl say I knew her? We've never even met before...yet, why...DAMMIT, THINKING ABOUT THIS STUFF MAKES ME WANT TO PUNCH SOMETHING...preferrably the flea. Come to think of the flea, I haven't seen him around lately. That's never a good sign. He must be up to something.'

His eyes widened then as he saw a young boy with spiky black hair wearing a Raira Academy uniform, talking to Izaya. They looked like they were having a serious discussion. The boy looked pretty happy, but Izaya looked sort of like he was toying with him...never a good thing, he thought.

Shizuo decided it'd be best to sneak up on them and see what they were talking about.

"Orihara-san, why do you hate Heiwajima-san so much?"

Definitely very polite. The boy was naive; he didn't know what he was getting into. 'Damn him, using kids like that. That's low...'

"Ah, Ryuugamine-kun...your feigned naivety never ceases to amuse me. Are you really _this _stupid? I mean, someone who created an elaborate organization like you must be...very intelligent, indeed-"

"Orihara-san, that's sort of a private matter, and I wish you wouldn't talk about such things..."

"Oh, so modest, are we? Come on, step out of hiding, show me the true you."

"I don't know what you're talking about. You scare m-me..."

"Ha ha, I scare you, Ryuugamine-kun? You scared the crap out of Namie Yagiri-san, after all."

The boy seemed silent for a few moments. He couldn't exactly see the boy's facial expression, but if he listened closely, he could hear his words, as quiet as they were.

_"What the hell do you want? Izaya, I don't exactly like that you're snooping around in places you don't belong. Maybe I'll have no choice but to eliminate you."_

'What the hell's with the boy?' Shizuo thought in confusion. Izaya looked a little startled, if not...scared a bit, but he regained his composure.

"My my, Ryuugamine-kun, your anger is indeed frightening."

"_It's not anger. It's a warning, Izaya. Stay away from me unless you want a pen jammed through your finger." _

_"_You wouldn't dare do something like that, Ryuugamine-kun. You're too kind."

"_Keep telling yourself that. Eventually, you'll wish you'd never crossed me and my organization..."_

"Ooh~, scary! I'm so scared!"

Much to his surprise, the student got in front of Izaya and turned to look at him and got right in his face.

"_You should have plenty of reason to be afraid of me, Izaya. I've been researching you, and I know all of your secrets. Don't you dare use Kida. Otherwise, I might have no choice but to end you..."_

Izaya actually looked sort of frightened. "My, my, what was with that?"

"It was nothing but a big joke, Orihara-san."

'What the hell just happened? That boy sounded insane...and he actually scared Izaya...now he's suddenly calm again...what the hell? Is he taking after Izaya? Definitely not good...is Izaya turning him into a psycho?'

"Oh well, Ryuugamine-kun, I just wanted to check in and see how your organization was going. After all, it is quite tough managing an online gang, isn't it? Well, well, keep on feigning."

"Bye, Orihara-san..." The boy started to walk away. Apparently Izaya didn't notice Shizuo there but the boy did. The boy froze upon seeing Shizuo.

"A-Ah...you're...Shi-"

Shizuo put a finger to his own lips. For once, he didn't want to start a fight with Izaya. "Don't say anything."

The boy looked absolutely terrified. "I'm supposed...t-to...stay away from you..." He muttered, "You're scary..."

"Izaya's bad news...stay away from him," Shizuo said as the two of them were sitting on a park bench together. The boy looked like he wanted to crawl up in a corner and die away from Shizuo.

"_Relax. _I only hurt Izaya and those who piss me off."

"That's good, Heiwajima-san. I thought you were going to attack me."

"Why was Izaya talking to a kid like you?"

"I-I can't say. He promised me never to tell."

"Kid, I've never met someone whose acting is as bad as yours. Trust me, you're as innocent as-"

"Orihara-san told me never to tell anyone..." He repeated.

"What's your name?" Shizuo said.

"M-Mikado Ryuugamine...Kida-kun told me to stay away from you..." He whimpered.

"Kida-kun?"

"Yeah, my friend, Masaomi Kida!"

"Masaomi Kida?" He said in surprise. "Ha! Funny words...coming from the leader of the Yellow Scarves..."

"WHAT?" Mikado cried. The boy seemed utterly shocked. "Kida-kun is...?"

"Yup. Former leader of the Yellow Scarves; Kida Masaomi. I'll never forget that name. He was foolish enough to go with Izaya and after that he was never the same."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"Basically, you'll be used by Izaya just like how he used Kida. I don't know much about the kid, but he seemed pretty innocent to me. Don't go down the same route...you're going to Izaya because you think he's cool..." Shizuo said.

"I'm not going to him because he's cool...I _have to, _you see..."

"Did he blackmail you?"

The boy suddenly lowered his face, his black bangs covering his face, and whenever he rose them again, the expression on his face had completely changed. His innocent-looking blue eyes were now ice-cold and there was a blank stare on his face. It was sort of unnerving...

"_Don't worry. Shizuo Heiwajima, I know full well what I'm doing...and Izaya thinks he can tell me what to do with my own organization...I know full well how to handle such things..." _ He said before clicking a ballpoint pen constantly.

"That's sort of annoying."

"Forgive me, Heiwajima-san, for bothering you. I have no malicious intentions towards you, just Izaya."

"Who _are _you?"

"Like I said before, I'm Mikado Ryuugamine."

"How can you be so cold for a little kid?"

"I've always been twisted," He said with a smirk. "I'm so glad you joined, you know. I sent you the email with the anonymous invite...I didn't think you'd actually join."

Shizuo gasped, the cigarette fell out of his mouth. "You mean to say...you're...-"

"Yep, I'm the leader of the Dollars. My Dollars, to be exact. So, are you going to laugh at me? I am a high-schooler, after all..."

This kid gave off Izaya-like vibes...

"Kid, are you crazy?"

"Don't call me that. Not even Kida knows about this side of me. But this is my true side. I only live for myself. But I do care about Kida and Sonohara-san more than anything, so if anything happened to them, I'd probably destroy their enemies. I just put on the innocent side so that way no one can try to destroy my organization or me...self-preservation."

"You're sort of creepy-"

"Some people will call me that."

"You seem like Izaya and that irritates me."

"Really? Then why haven't you thrown anything at me?"

"I never thought I'd meet the person in charge of the Dollars..."

"And is he anything at all like how you expect?" The boy said, staring at him with a smirk on his face. It wasn't malicious, like Izaya's...rather it seemed like he saw right through everyone. "This is my true side..."

"So the name Dragon Emperor means something?" Shizuo asked.

"Yep. Orihara-san and I may engage in deals, but he is my enemy. Today I don't side with you...but I do respect your urge to hate Izaya."

"You talk like you're not human."

"Oh, I am human. Definitely. I'm just one who's more twisted than others. But then again I think everyone in Ikebukuro is. I mean...those two friends of Kida's...Karisawa-san and Walker-kun...they're torture fanatics, aren't they? And Celty-san is a Dullahan without a head."

"How do you know about Celty?"

"She told me herself. I just listened; quite a fascinating tale. It's even more interesting that she doesn't have a head. I wasn't scared by it, I was amazed. I despise ordinary things. I love extraordinary things..."

"So do I. The ordinary life can get boring."

"Your brother's Kasuka Heiwajima, isn't he?"

"How did you-"

"The Dollars have ways of looking up all kinds of information...who knows, maybe I have more information than even Izaya does. It's not like when Kida-kun invited me to Ikebukuro that I was completely ignorant of things. It's just a matter of acting like you don't know anything."

"People say I'm stupid. You seem like a genius. You're not as evil as Izaya. Don't become like him."

"Oh, I know full well what I'm doing. And I still have my own moral integrity, and I'm sure everyone in the Dollars are good people. Heiwajima-san...you only beat up those who deserve it. You're a good person."

"You're not afraid of me?"

"Nope. I'm fascinated with you...maybe you could help me achieve my goals...?" Mikado said.

"You talk so much like Izaya..."

"Forgive me. It's not often people see my true side and they're often scared by it. This is who I am. Even though I might be cold, I still have feelings. I still think you'd be a good person. I'd like to get to know you. And I have a request...would you be my bodyguard?"

"Yours?" He said.

"Yes, the leader of the Dollars probably has many enemies. If they don't know who I am now, they probably will very soon, because Orihara-san will probably tell them, so could you help me?"

Shizuo felt shivers run down his back. "Sure..."

"That's great! I'm so glad you want to help me, Heiwajima-san! Forgive me for scaring you, but Kida-kun and Sonohara-san don't see that side of me!" He chirped.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"You know, switch personalities so fast..." Shizuo trailed off.

"I learned how to do it...naturally...it's sort of interesting, isn't it? I'm sort of shy..."

"I'm actually a shy person, too..." Shizuo said. "I mostly just act tough, but actually I'm pretty shy."

"I can tell that already, Heiwajima-san. It's just hard for people to see the good side of you, isn't it?"

'He sure is one hell of a weird guy. He's even able to scare Izaya. He seems very idealistic...'

"Nice to get to know you," He said quietly.

"Ah, Heiwajima-san, are you worried about something?"

"Not exactly...you see..." He puffed his cigarette, "I've been having dreams that I don't understand..."

"Dreams? Like what, Heiwajima-san?"

"Oh, they're about...things I don't understand...people with metal limbs and other kinds of impossible things..."

"Your strength's sort of impossible, too, Heiwajima-san. It's what I admire so much about you...and dreams aren't impossible, either. They happen all the time! My guess is you remember stuff, you just don't want to remember." Mikado chirped happily.

"Oh, sure...you have any siblings?"

"Nope, I'm an only child. My parents don't care that much about me. They're neglectful. Kida's parents are the same. He's hated them for years-"

"My parents accepted me. But if ever you do get a sibling, you'll understand the instinct to protect them from anything."

"You really _are _a good person, Heiwajima-san."

"Not really, kid. The world would be a lot better off without someone like me in it." He said darkly.

"I don't think you should say such things," Mikado said. "You've inspired me to be even braver than before. I mean, I hide behind my name on the Internet."

"I never knew I'd meet the leader of Dollars, and I never knew he'd be a kid..."

"Surprises happen every day, Heiwajima-san. You can chat with me online...Izaya's online, too, be careful. His name there's Kanra and he pretends to be a girl. My name there is Tarou Tanaka."

"Sure...I've never really used chatrooms before..." Shizuo trailed off, inwardly nervous.

"Oh, don't worry. It's not like in real life! People won't be able to see what you look like, they'll be able to see the real you!"

What was it about this boy that made his heart pound? "Sure..." He said.

The boy blushed deeply.

The boy started to disappear.

'He sure is a cute boy...pah, he's far from innocent...he's like Izaya...he seems like he believes that what he's doing is genuinely the right thing...I don't know if that's bad or good.'

He frowned. He was getting tired.

* * *

><p>"Mikado, what were you doing with that Heiwajima guy?" Kida scolded.<p>

"Nothing, really. We just talked." Mikado said.

"There he is. He's so scary. He'll kill you!"

"No, he won't. I just asked him to do something for me, Kida-kun." Mikado said happily.

"Like...what?" Kida said.

"I can't say. It's a secret!"

"Mi-ka-do...you're not keeping secrets from me, are you?"

"You never told me you were the leader of the Yellow Scarves!"

The boy jumped. "Did Izaya tell you that?"

"I used the Internet; I've already known about it for a while now."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I just wanted to see your reaction and I thought you were willing to keep that a secret..." He smirked.

"Mikado? Are you sure you're all right?" He said before waving his hand in front of his best friend's face. To his surprise, he thought he saw something flicker in Mikado's eyes for a moment before he just smiled.

"I'm just fine, Kida-kun. _...Just be careful."_

"What?" Kida said.

"Nothing at all, Kida-kun."

"You're acting weird today," Kida said in worry. The boy just looked at him for a few moments before smirking, a very uncharacteristic Mikado act. "Mikado?"

"I am very happy today, Kida! I'm just so happy!" He said slowly.

"Mikado...?"

"I'm fine, Kida-kun!" He chirped. "You don't need to worry about me!"

'What is with that smirk on his face? It is rather...creepy...why is he hiding his face from me? Is something wrong with my best friend?'

Suddenly as they entered an alley, the two of them were attacked by gangsters, wearing the Yellow Scarves symbol. Masaomi frowned. "Not good...Mikado, I'm going to have to watch your back," He warned.

"Hey little brats, die!"

Masaomi managed to fight off a few of them but they hit him in the face.

"Mikado, get away from here..." He said as his nose was bleeding.

"No, I want to help you, Kida-kun!" Mikado said in determination.

"Mikado, you can't possibly do anything to help."

"Of course I can!"

"No, Mikado..." Masaomi moaned.

"Just sit back and watch, Kida-kun."

Kida was then hit hard over the head.

"Kida-kun!" Mikado cried, coming back to his side. As he watched Masaomi bleed a little...Masaomi looked at him with confused eyes.

He saw Mikado look at him for a few moments and then he lowered his head and stood up with his back to him, without speaking.

"Mikado, I'm just fine..."

Mikado ignored him, and then reached in his pocket and pulled out a pen and clicked it.

"Mikado, what are you doing?"

"_Stay back and watch, Masaomi," A very _sharp and cold voice said.

Masaomi wondered if it was Izaya who had spoken. But that cold, _calculating voice came from...__**Mikado? **__ "Mikado, what's going on?" _

_"Silence." _It was an authoritative tone that he'd never known his best friend to take.

"What do you think you can do to us, little punk?" The man taunted as he came closer to Mikado.

"_Scum like you is so far beneath me that I can't forgive people who hurt Kida...so..." _

Then without warning, Mikado stabbed the pen into the man's hand. Blood went everywhere, as it landed all over Mikado. Masaomi stared in horror at the scene before him. What the hell was going on here?

"You freak, what the hell did you do?"

"_It's merely a punishment." _Mikado said. He lifted the pen up again, which was now soaking wet with blood and stabbed the man's thumb.

"Stop! Stop!" The man begged.

"_I'm sorry, but I don't think I got the message quite right." _He said as he continued stabbing him.

Masaomi watched in astonishment and horror, completely and utterly bewildered.

The man fell to the ground, blood dripping from his hand.

Mikado smirked slightly and then next he stabbed the pen through the man's shoulder. "_Pens are quite useful as weapons." _He said.

"Mikado, stop!" Masaomi said, but again Mikado ignored him. Then out of nowhere, another figure appeared and stepped on the man, jumping up and down on him.

"Izaya!" Masaomi said.

"Nice work, Mikado-kun. It looks like we have a ~witness here. I didn't know you were capable of such an act, Mikado-kun. I'm fascinated~."

"_What are you doing here, Izaya?" _

"I sent these men after you and Kida to see how you would react, but I guess they're useless." Izaya said as he took out a knife and slit the other man's throat. "I must say, your ruthlessness is fascinating."

By this time, Kida had passed out.

"You'd better take your friend Kida to the hospital."

"_Shut the hell up, Izaya." _

"By the way, what will you do about your best friend finding out about your dark side?"

"_Don't worry. I already planned for him to know about that."_

_"_You sure are a twisted man, aren't you?" Izaya purred.

"It's not like you're exactly purity incarnate." Mikado said.

"True enough..."

"Compared _to you_, I'm a minor devil," Mikado sneered.

"Oh, you think I'm Satan? That's mean." Izaya pouted.

Mikado just glared at him coldly before he stepped on the other man's arm, causing him to scream in pain. Mikado looked down at the blood covering his robe and then he just smiled. "I suppose I'd better go wash off. That was sort of fun, Orihara-san."

Izaya watched the boy leave in glee. He burst out laughing. "Oh my...I managed to find the perfect tool. He's every bit as fucked up as I am. How amazing...Kida-kun doesn't even understand how much his friend is like me. I can't wait to see how this plays out!"

* * *

><p>Whenever Kida opened his eyes he found himself in Mikado's apartment. 'Was that all a dream? Of course, Mikado would never act like that. No way...'<p>

But this wasn't his bed and he was covered in bandages. He tried to sit up and felt pain.

"Mikado...?" He whispered. There was no response.

He tried to sit up again...

"Oh, Kida. You're awake. That's good. I was worried."

No stuttering, no shyness, instead a cold tone?

"Mikado...what's going on?"

"You should sit here and rest for a while. Just rest, Kida-kun. It'll help." He said dully.

"Mikado, you don't order me around! What are you doing?"

He noticed that Mikado was on his laptop, typing in stuff.

"Just checking in with stuff." His voice was so vague it pissed Kida off.

"Stuff? What the hell do you mean by stuff? That wasn't a dream. What the hell did you do that for?"

"What are you talking about?" Mikado said before looking at him with an innocent smile on his face. "I think you dreamed all that up, Kida. I'm not capable of such things."

"Do you have MPD or something?"

"What's that, Kida? I have no idea what you mean."

"Mikado...stop lying to me. What are you hiding?" Kida demanded.

It was then that Kida's eyes traveled over to the page Mikado was on, typing furiously. He noticed it was a black and white webpage; a chatroom of some sort. There was a small symbol at the top.

"Mikado...what's that?" Masaomi said, unsure of what he was seeing.

Mikado looked at him and then smirked. His eyes were cold, a cold blue...

"Mi-ka-do?" He said in confusion.

'Mikado' chuckled. "Kida...this is none other than the Dollars page..."

"What kind of joke is this?"

"Heh heh...it's no joke. _I _am the leader of the Dollars. Who else would it be? I never said I_ wasn't_ the leader of the Dollars, Kida."

Kida had to shudder. "Mikado, what the hell's wrong with you? Why'd you stab that man?"

"He deserved it. He was trying to kill you. It was all Izaya's doing. Someday, I will kill that man."

"Mikado...?"

"Yes, of course it's me, Kida. Who else were you expecting?"

"What's...going on? Who _are _you? You can't be my best friend Mikado! Mikado wouldn't be so cold."

"This is my true side, Kida. I'm the leader of the Dollars. I can't live an ordinary life, Kida. I simply destroyed those men because they were trying to destroy you. I washed off all that blood."

"Mikado, what's wrong with you? Are you...are you...a sociopath?"

"Nope, not really. Just someone who is bored and needs excitement."

"Mikado, what were you thinking, making the Dollars? That's so stupid."

Mikado shoved him back with a strength Kida didn't know his friend possessed.

_A/N:While I was recording this out on my recorder, the radio in the background was playing "How do I know that it's love?" while Mikado's shoving Kida. XD That's too much._

Mikado leaned over him with a cold look on his face. "Masaomi, I have no evil intentions towards you. But if you insist on interfering with what I plan to do, prepare to feel pain like you've never felt before. Let that be your warning." He said looking him down with a hatred Kida didn't think his friend could possess. Kida started to sweat.

"I knew you'd be afraid. That's why I hate revealing this side of me. I'm always scared that they'll hate me and you my best friend, is scared. But I'm used to that. Like Izaya-san said, life is one big game..."

A few moments later, he smiled again.

"Sorry about that, Kida. I didn't mean to scare you! I always thought you'd be scared of the real me, so I was just scared of how you'd react!"

"Mi...ka...do...?" Masaomi said, falling to the ground, bewildered and terrified beyond measure.

"You might want to go lie back down, Masaomi. Your wounds might reopen and I don't want that to happen again."

IT was then that Masaomi noticed the pen sitting by Mikado's computer. It was soaked in blood, and Mikado's hands were still coated in blood and yet he was smiling, like nothing was wrong.

'What kind of monster is my best friend?' Masaomi thought in complete and utter terror. "Stay away from me..." He said.

"Kida, I just want to help."

_"Sure..." _Masaomi said.

"That's good! I'm sorry if I scared you, Kida! I really didn't mean it!"

_Liar. _Masaomi thought. 'He's lying. How many times has my best friend lied to me with this smile on his face? I'm truly scared...'

Kida thought. But Mikado still treated him with that same smile.

Still, he couldn't help but envision that same cold look in Mikado's blue eyes and it scared the hell out of him.

**If it hasn't dawned on you yet, I'm quite a Higurashi fan. I love madness.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:I have a new plunny going on for this! I also thank the anon guest for providing me with info on 'Pride.' He sounds **_**just **_**like Mikado! So I think he will be Mikado, but Bosskado **_**is not **_**Pride's personality; he's just an extension of Mikado's cold nature. Mikado is nicer than Pride is because he doesn't remember and besides, wasn't Pride's wish (never seen FMA Brotherhood before but read the wiki) to become a normal human or somesuch? If so, then we can safely say he got his wish. *Still used to the Fuhrer being Pride from the FMA I grew up with.***

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6 Dreams and Puzzles<strong>

Shizuo wandered down the street, still lost in his thoughts. But if there was one thing he hated, if there was one thing he fucking hated, more than anything else, more than anyone else, it was when people were stupid enough to screw around with him for no fucking reason. They knew just who he was, so why the hell did they go and piss him off anyway, even though they knew they would inevitably earn themselves a trip to the hospital with a few broken ribs and a few black eyes for good measure?

God, people around here in Ikebukuro could be so fucking stupid, so stupid that it drove him over the edge. Shizuo was a nice guy, you know...a very nice guy, as a matter of fact; a guy who liked peace and hated violence, but when it just so happened that people were dumb enough to incense him and strike his last few nerves, God have mercy on them, because he sure as hell wouldn't.

Like right now, where a whole bunch of goddamned idiots were following behind him, taunting him and calling him names.

"...Shizuo Heiwajima, come on! Get mad! Throw something! Throw something for us! I don't think you'd dare attack the leader of the Yellow Scarves, would you?"

"Shizuo, come on, go ahead and show us your monstrous strength! Go ahead and do it!"

"...Shizuo, are you a big chicken?"

"Hey, listen to us when we're talking to you! Hold on to your punches, man!"

His nerve was stretching...he couldn't stand it much longer.

"Look...just shut up and go away. Not unless you want to get sent to the hospital."

"Ooh...we're _so scared. _Aren't we scared of the blond bartender who has super strength, boys? We know what that answer is, don't we? No, we ain't scared of you, cause you're a big chicken who's too afraid of starting fights! Isn't that right, Mr. Chicken? Want some seed, Mr. Chicken?"

His nerves were starting to go to their last edge. He didn't know how much longer he could hold it. He really hated getting angry, he really did. It was never nice, seeing the people he wounded in the hospital, but sometimes people deserved getting hit.

"...Hey, how come ya aren't sayin' nothin', huh? You scared, huh? You really scared?"

His sanity was crumbling the more they spoke...the muscles in his body were on fire, aching, begging to be released...his arms felt like they were made of iron...his muscles were begging him to hit them and shut them up.

'_Does violence really solve your problems, Shizuo Heiwajima?' _A new voice said from in his mind.

"..." Shizuo was silent, contemplating what he should do in this situation. Should he punch them in the eye or should he just walk away? He started to walk away, only to be jerked away by the other man, who had snatched hold of Shizuo's coat and was now dumping ketchup on his robes...the robes his brother, Kasuka...had given to him...the robes that his brother...Kasuka...Kasuka...Kasuka...Kasuka...Al...Al...

At that moment, everything snapped.

Shizuo turned to face the man who had done something this disgusting, gripping hold of the other's arm and holding it so tightly that he could feel his muscles twisting a little. "You little son of a bitch, you've got some nerve, destroying the clothes my brother gave to me. It's the only memento of a job I had as a bartender that was destroyed by that stupid flea!" He bellowed as he lifted the man up into the air, causing the man's face to go ashen.

"I-I-I'm sorry...I had no idea that you were this irritable..." He lied, but the little piece of crap was smirking. He honestly thought Shizuo was going to hold back now?

"You'll be the first to feel my wrath!" Shizuo cried as he twisted the man's arm hard, causing him to scream in pain. "You feel that, you little piece of crap? Do you feel that!?" He boomed, as he threw the man into a window, shattering glass everywhere. This feeling was so satisfying...Shizuo really lived for nothing but violence.

It was a part of him, like anything else.

The other chickens were all squawking excuses now and trying to get away, but they wouldn't be spared, either. If you cook an omelet, you have to break a few eggs in the process, after all. Shizuo smirked as he grabbed a garbage can and heaved it over his head at the next man, pinning him beneath it.

"HOW DOES THAT FEEL, HUH? DON'T YOU FEEL ALL THE PAIN AND ANGER YOU JUST PUT ME THROUGH? YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL NOW, BUDDY, NOW GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES AND APOLOGIZE! I HATE VIOLENCE. IT'S YOUR FAULT I HAD TO DO THAT!"

The man writhed under the weight of the garbage can, struggling to free himself. "...I'm sorry...please, please...I beg of you...forgive me!" He whined and moaned, like the little insect he was, but in the end, he only served to fuel Shizuo's mindless rage. In a way, though, he had sort of brought it upon himself for annoying Shizuo and testing his patience.

"Forgiveness? For you? Don't kid yourselves. You lost that chance the second you tested my nerves and broke my self-control. It's because of morons like you that I get in so much trouble with Tom and Kasuka! Next time, why don't you try keeping your damned mouths shut before you pick a fight with the 'Monster' of Ikebukuro?" He chuckled broadly as he brought the struggling man back up and eyed him in interest. "Still got some spirit left in ya, huh? Isn't that true?"

"I'm...I'm sorry...I...I didn't know...I honestly didn't know...who I was dealing with..." The man coughed up blood.

Shizuo grimaced. "I see...then if you didn't know who you were dealing with, why did you purposely piss me off, huh? Did you not predict that this would happen, huh?"

The coward shook and Shizuo finished him off with one good headbutt.

"Worthless," Shizuo said, "Time to kill...kill...kill...kill...kill...I'll kill you all!"

And with a loud roar, Shizuo thrust himself upon the remaining two men, and showed no mercy as he unleashed his punches upon them.

When the dust cleared, Shizuo stood as the victor amidst the crumbled bodies and the blood that spread out from among them.

He heard clapping from behind him. His nose crinkled, something smelled bad. He knew this smell well...all too well, after all. How could he mistake it for anyone else?

"~My, my, Shizu-chan, I really am impressed. I never knew you could be so violent! I mean, you usually are, but never like that! You must tell me what that blue light was during your fight. It looked so pretty, too...I don't know what it was, but it sure was impressive..."

Shizuo whirled around and instantly uprooted a fence post and swung it in his arms as though it was nothing more than a toy rabbit. "...I-IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAA-KUNNNNNNNNNNNNNN, READY TO PLAY GET OUT OF IKEBUKURO?"

The dark-haired man chuckled. "Shizu-chan, you sure are energetic today. I'm going to enjoy every moment of this!" He cried as he twirled around his switch blade.

"Hey, flea, could I call you a bastard?"

"You already do, Shizu-chan~," Izaya chirped as he dodged another swing by Shizuo. "Your aim is poor, Shizu-chan..."

"...Tell me, something...earlier, did you toy with a boy with black hair?" Shizuo asked.

Izaya had to laugh. "Oh, Shizu-chan...did you see his true darkness? That boy is my true pawn...he truly is twisted."

"Who the hell are you to screw around with peoples' lives like that?" Shizuo roared.

"Calm down, Shizu-chan. If I didn't know better, I'd say you're ready to kill me!"

"Damned right, flea! I can't fucking stand you! The world would be better without you in it!"

Izaya burst out laughing. "You're ever amusing. What if there was another connection to us than just our meeting at Raira Academy, Shizu-chan?"

"Don't know what you mean, but I don't give a damn, anyway. All I want to do is see you dead, flea!"

Izaya chuckled. "...You just keep on amusing me, Shizu-chan! This is amazing!" He said.

* * *

><p>-Meanwhile-<p>

Masaomi just watched his best friend, Mikado, as he went to work on his website of the Dollars, typing furiously. He should've known his friend had been up to something all this time. How dumb could he have been to not notice it from the start? His best friend had been so distant, so evasive...and now he was here, typing away and ignoring his best friend entirely.

"Mikado?" He began. Still, Mikado ignored him and typed away.

Masaomi gritted his teeth. He'd had enough of playing Mikado's games. He wasn't going to let his best friend use him any longer. If he thought Masaomi was going to be his little pawn anymore, well he was going to be in for a surprise.

"Mikado?"

"Masaomi, keep it down...I'm trying to solve a problem that's popped up here," Mikado said in his dark voice. "Oh, and maybe you can call me Bosskado right now."

"Bosskado?"

"It's a term that suits me, don't you think? I mean...after all, I am the boss of the Dollars. I have to do stuff with them after all, and support _my dollars." _

"Mikado, have you always been this twisted?" Masaomi spoke up then, startling the raven out of his thoughts.

"Not exactly. My life never amounted to anything before I made the Dollars, Kida. Now life is worth living, wouldn't you say?" He said cheerfully, which just spooked Masaomi.

"Life is more important than wasting time doing the Dollars! You should know that from what happened to me!" He cried.

"...Unlike what happened to you, Kida...I know full well how to handle myself." He chirped happily.

"...How do you know, Mikado? You can't trust Izaya."

Mikado smirked darkly. "Trust me, there are some things about me that even he doesn't know. I wonder if I'm even human, Masaomi..."

"Mikado?" Masaomi asked.

Mikado smiled icily. "I'm fine, Masaomi. I'm perfectly sure there's nothing wrong with me as a person.

Masaomi shuddered. "I don't understand..."

"I don't expect you to understand why I do things, Masaomi. That'd be expecting too much from you." Mikado said darkly.

Kida fumed. "...Mikado, I'm not stupid!"

"...You're ignorant of things, Kida." Mikado said cryptically and then turned back to the computer and continued typing, unaware of the presence that lurked deep within his soul, that was slowly gaining awareness, awareness of who it was.

* * *

><p>That night, Shizuo tossed and turned in his bed. He was having a fitful sleep and he couldn't stand it.<p>

_He found himself chasing the flea, like usual, and the flea kept on laughing maniacally every time Shizuo tried to hit him. It was frustrating. Shizuo really wanted to kill him, but the bastard kept on dodging...until he finally hit him, and then the 'flea' dissolved...and changed...into a single giant eye. An eye that leered at Shizuo. _

_"Well, well...look who it is...if it isn't Mr. Elric. I knew one day you'd come back." It didn't sound friendly._

_Shizuo blinked. "Sorry, but you have me mistaken for someone else. My name is not Elric."_

_The eye burst out laughing. "Really? I don't think I can mistake anyone else for you, Mr. Elric. You're the Full Metal Alchemist, after all...there aren't many who can imitate you...though you're tall..."_

_"I don't like metal...and my name's Shizuo Heiwajima, not Edward Elric! I'm not this Edward person!" _

_The eye leered. "...So you say, Mr. Elric. So you say. I don't believe you one bit. It's hard to mistake my worst enemy. Ah, I see...reincarnation is certainly very kind, isn't she? It bestows upon you a new life, new memories, a new body...and even...new limbs..." _

_Shizuo's arm and leg suddenly started to ache. "...I don't know what you are!" _

_"Is that so? This is the best day of my life! Mr. Elric doesn't even know who I am or what he is! This is awesome...but not only that, my new person doesn't even know he's not even human!"_

_Before Shizuo's wide eyes, the eye morphed into a cold boy with icy blue eyes. _

_"...He doesn't even know that I'm him, the fool! Yet, he asked you of all people to protect him! You, the one who ended my existence!" _

_"Shut the hell up! You piss me off!" _

_"Still got that fiery tongue, haven't you? Yes, Edward Elric, son of Hohenheim of Light. I'm unimpressed right now." _

_Suddenly, a blue flash of light overtook Shizuo's vision._

_"Run!" A new voice hissed in his ear. Shizuo turned his head slightly, but he could only make out something yellow before he ran off. _

Shizuo awoke, confused. "What the fuck was that all about? Eyeballs don't just talk. That makes no sense."

'_Beware, Shizuo Heiwajima. There is more to you than meets the eye.'_

"The flea is causing me to talk to myself, too? This is rich!" Shizuo cried.

"_It's not his fault," _The voice said, '_The bastard was never this evil before...what happened to him?"_


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:I'm sorry that you guys had to wait for a while...my Tumblr roleplays have been **_**so fun that I've actually been spending my time writing RPs rather than stories. :/ But I'm not giving up on any of my stories! I told you already! I am gonna work on my stories, maybe just, maybe I will write THIS story again today, because once again the assholes in my life had to piss me off. :/ I hate people at times, they can be so cruel one moment and nice another moment. Oh, sudden POV change. Don't worry, I'll switch back to third person soon enough.**_

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 7 Izaya's thoughts<strong>_

I can remember when I was a little child and didn't know the ways of the world; I honestly thought every human being in the world was a nice little individual who would treat me with dignity and respect and listen to what I had to say. I just loved humans, they were so amusing and amazing in their own little quirks. I really loved them all, but somehow, my mother and father didn't feel the same way toward me.

They hated me, they never ceased to stop putting down my achievements and treat me like I was less than they were. I was scolded if I got an A- on a test, I would be hit in the face if I dared to talk back, and a few times I was even beaten by my father, in front of my little sisters, who I soon grew to hate as well because they fully approved of it.

Mairu and Kururi have never loved me from the start. From a young age, I showed some pyromaniac tendencies, and I don't think they've ever changed, if at all. I love seeing things on fire and have even tried to set things on fire before. I love the feeling of seeing things burn. It's so delightful.

However, I don't care about what my parents think of me anymore. They're unworthy of being considered my parents because of what they did to me. But their cruel words and actions are gonna be with me for the rest of my life; perhaps they made me into what I am today. But I don't really care what happened then; now all that matters is what I do to Shizu-chan. He's ever amusing.

Shizu-chan is simply ever so amusing~that much is for certain, I still remember the first day we met; the amusing way he reacted after beating up all those fools I set on him, and then the way he reacted when I slashed his chest. He's ever so amusing; that's what I like about him...he's so unpredictable that I both love and hate that about him.

He's also very annoying in that regard...I can't stand him when he becomes so irritating, it's what makes me want to kill him...he's a monster, not a human being. He hurts everyone; and it's so amusing to point that out and watch that big lout throw things. It just makes me feel like setting things on fire because it's so amazing.

'Anyway, I have no idea what Shinra's thinking about right now, but who the hell is Roy and why did he keep on mentioning him?' I think.

Oh, well...the least I can do is continue to love my beloved humans!


	8. Chapter 8 past

A/N:Ha, you thought I was abandoning this? Hell no! Time for another update, huh? :D I can't wait to write some more! I just spent time cleaning up today and now I can work on my stories! Work before play, I say! So now it's time to put what I've learned from my DRRR roleplays into good use! Today we look at Izaya's past and then we look more into the eyes of some other 'reincarnated' people. Someone give me some Brotherhood characters to work with. I need someone for Kida to be.

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><p>Chapter 8 Izaya's past, part 1<p>

_The house was dimly lit, despite it being the late evening. The family that was home had already gathered food for dinner today and everyone was seated there, eating, in a tense silence. Neither was sure where to begin. The youngest occupants of the table did their best to not make a sound or anger their parents._

_The eldest daughter, a black-haired girl with her hair in ponytails, was pouting, pulling at her ponytails in discomfort, wanting very much to talk. She was four years old and loved to talk, but right now even someone as young as she was could tell that her parents weren't in the mood to talk._

_The youngest of all was crouched right near her twin sister, quietly observing the flow of conversation and watching her two parents with wary eyes. She had learned very early on that her parents were different from the stereotypical happy family she had watched on TV. If she had to recall, the happy mommy and daddy would always listen to their children tell them about their day, would always laugh with them and pat their heads over a good job, and tell them they loved them. _

_There was none of that here. Not as far as little Kururi Orihara was concerned. Though only four years of age, she could already read what people were thinking, much like her older brother...her gaze traveled over to her older brother, who lacked his typical smirk that he usually wore when he ripped their toys or stepped on them and called them stupid. Now he looked deadpan. His gaze was to his dinner plate. _

_"...Honey, why don't you stop drinking right now? Your alcohol can wait until later. Your children come first." Their mother, a shrill woman said. _

_"...Shut the hell up. Who are you to tell me what to do, huh? I heard someone here was a failure in school today. Was it you, you piece of crap?" He cried before pointing his finger at a cowering Mairu, who had her head buried in Kururi's lap. _

_"I'm sorry..." Mairu whimpered, tears spilling out of her cheeks. _

_"You'd better be sorry!" Their father cried, getting up and hitting her in the face. "It's no wonder no one respects us! It's because our children are all mistakes!" _

_He looked over at his wife. She nodded before her concerned gaze came to rest on her little daughters as she sent them a look saying everything would be all right. _

_But her gaze turned to stone when she took in her eldest son, Izaya, as he sat there, quietly eating his food, trying to do his best to just ignore them and leave as soon as possible. He was dully cutting food with his knife, not even humming or joking like he usually did. _

_The woman, Kyouko Orihara, spoke up, glaring daggers at her teenage son as he continued to avoid her gaze, preferring instead to glance around the room. "...Izaya, is it true that you got into a fight today with some kids? I heard you riled them up on purpose. I didn't raise a son who would grow up to be a delinquent, you hear me? Look at me when I talk to you!" She yelled sharply. _

_The boy flinched but still, he did not raise his head. He did not want to look embarrassing in front of his little sisters._

_"Iza-nii's a bad boy," Mairu said, "He deserves to be punished." _

_"Stop, Mairu," Kururi said softly, scolding her sister._

_Their father had shifted targets. Instead, he strolled over to his teenage son and took his fork and knife out of his hands and grabbed his arms and pulled him out of the chair. "I heard you got a B in your class and your teachers say you don't socialize with anyone and all you do is start fights. You know what I have to say to a little piece of shit like that who can't do anything useful for his family? I say that he should get down on his knees and apologize, like a proper man!" He said._

_Izaya spoke up then. "Go to hell." _

_That did it. His father struck him hard in the jaw and sent him flying across the room. "I can't believe a mistake like you was even born to begin with! Why can't you be more like your sisters, huh? Why are you such a monster?" His father spat in his face and cursed at him even more as he picked him up and continued hitting him. _

_Izaya fought back, of course, but in the end, his father was bigger and heavier, so he ultimately won. Izaya got back up, despite the bruise under his jaw, the bruise on his left arm, the sprained leg he had, and a scrape on his side. _

_"Father...can't you...?" He began, but stopped. _

_Mairu clapped her hands. "Yay, Iza-nii's punished!"_

_Kururi was crying. _

_"Why can't you ever do anything right, Izaya? You are no son of mine!" He cried before he returned to his seat, ignoring the blood on his shirt. _

_"Mother..." Izaya said, quietly, but she glared at him scornfully. _

_"Why do you even __**exist? **__You do nothing but cause trouble for others and make them suffer! You cause problems for us! Why can't you be more like your sisters? I wish you'd never been born!" She cried, startling a shocked Izaya into silence. _

_Izaya took his dinner plate and shoved it in the sink, not even bothering to wash his dishes like he was supposed to and stuck his hands in his pockets. He stormed up the stairs, not even looking at Kururi and Mairu, who both looked confused and scared. _

_As he went to his room, he heard the conversation resume with his mother and father talking animatedly to his little sisters and saying things like, "I love you." or "You're so amazing. You're just fine the way you are, Mairu. I'm glad you made that for me. I'll hang it up on the fridge.' _

_When had they ever looked at him like that? They always looked at him with looks of scorn and apathy. They hated him, Izaya knew they hated him, and somehow he was not unaware of that. He allowed the tears of heartbreak to stream down his face and he wept bitterly. At school, he seemed to be the emotionless type but in reality he had always been the exact opposite. _

_"Hey, Shinra, why are you friends with the flea?" Shizuo asked Shinra. Shinra paused._

_"He's human, Shizuo. He's been through more than you can imagine. He's not a heartless monster. He was just raised that way."_

_"That's crap," Shizuo scoffed, "Colonel Bastard has always been that way from the start."_

_Shinra laughed. "Colonel, Shizuo? That's sort of stupid." _

_Shizuo flushed. "Hey, stop making fun of me!" _

* * *

><p>Izaya awoke. Why had he dreamt of those days again? He really hated his parents, and they returned that feeling, one hundred percent. It didn't mean that it still didn't hurt to remember those words and the pain, because it still did, but it still fazed him.<p>

"Hey, Namie-channn, what were your parents like?"

She froze. "They didn't care about Seiji and I. They abandoned us. I had to raise him when he was an infant." She said simply.

"My parents don't care, either. Not like I care about their opinions." He said lightly, ignoring her look of surprise.

"So you're human," She said in surprise.

"Of course I am," Izaya chirped, "What, would you think I'm an alchemist?"

"No," She said, "There's no such thing as that. Izaya, if you piss me off...I'll shoot you."

"I don't think you're any good with guns," Izaya chuckled. "I prefer my switch blade."

"No, I've always been very good with guns." Namie admitted, shrugging slightly.

"Really?" Izaya said, though he didn't sound as curious as he actually was.


	9. Chapter 9 Izaya's past, part 2

**A/N:Wow, I didn't think you would all like that so much! Well, here is the next chapter. Let's just say that Izaya's parents have never been kindly until his sisters came and they favored them over him so he was older but lonely. I'm gonna flash through some scenes from his childhood, though...like before Mairu and Kururi were born. **

**When you judge other people without wanting to know the true story behind their actions, is usually when there is something inside of you that is so broken that if you found out what you believed about them was a lie, you wouldn't want to accept it or make amends." **

**Chapter 9 Izaya's past, part two**

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><p><em>A young boy of about four or five sat on his bed, happily coloring in a drawing he was making for his parents and talking to himself about how much he liked people. He hoped this would make his mom smile, as he hadn't seen her smile once since he could talk. She kept on avoiding his gaze, kept on ignoring him or acting like he wasn't there.<em>

_His crimson eyes were filled with excitement as he colored in his drawing, finishing as he drew a little brown squiggle. The brown squiggle represented the weird, shy brown-haired kid Izaya had tried to talk to who just blushed and looked away or told him to leave him alone because he was annoying. What was his name again? _

_The five year old paused. It was Shizu something...Shizu-chan! How come Shizu-chan didn't like him? He only wanted to be his friend, and Shizu-chan just ignored him like his parents did. Thinking about his parents only made young Izaya more determined to get their attention and make them love him. If he couldn't get them to love him, he'd just have to make them. _

_But how? All the times he'd tried, his parents had just shaken their heads at him and called him awful names like loser or idiot. He knew that wasn't what he wanted them to say at all. _He wished they could love him like they did each other.

The door to his room burst open then and his mother came in, looking so happy. But her grin turned to a frown as she took in the child before her. "What do you want, freak?"

Izaya handed her the picture he made of all of them, smiling. The woman took it in her hands and studied it, and then tore it in two before the horrified child's eyes and stomped on it. "What the hell is this nonsense, you brat? The reason no one likes you is because you bring it upon yourself by being such a brat! No one in this house loves you and we all would do much better without you!"

"Don't you love me?" Izaya whispered.

This caused his mother to whack him.

"Of course not. No one could love anyone like you."

* * *

><p>And still, her words ring through his head, cursed though they are.<p>

'No one could ever love you.'

'No one.'


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:I'm glad so many of you like this. :D To be honest, Kida was gonna be Ed...blond hair, golden eyes, short nature...but then again, he has no brother, and the Heiwajima brothers seemed a better choice for the role. :D Shizuo is hysterical as Ed. I'm watching FMA 2003 while writing this. Haven't seen much of Brotherhood, so if some non-canon material is in there, don't complain cos I'm not fond of Brotherhood. But Mikado seems to fit manga Pride well. :D**

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><p><strong>Chapter 10 Alchemy? <strong>

Shizuo frowned as he patrolled the streets of Ikebukuro with his best friend since high school, Tom Tanaka. Tom was looking at Shizuo in worry, his brows creased. Shizuo, however was paying him no mind, busy smoking a cigarette like usual and his mind focused on remembering the odd dream he'd had last night.

He could've sworn the brat he'd met the other day was in there, and there was a leering gate that was alive for some reason, and something having to do with...alchemy...the more Shizuo thought about it, the more confused his thoughts became and his mind started feeling incredibly dizzy. He put a hand to his head, brushing aside stray blond bangs from his face.

"What the hell...?" He mumbled, which caught Tom's attention.

"Shizuo, are you okay?" Tom asked, staring at his oldest friend in concern. Shizuo had been acting rather off today, which made him quite concerned. Of course Shizuo usually acted impulsive and reckless (especially when a certain flea was involved) but when it came to people who weren't Izaya, he usually behaved with less recklessness.

"...Tom, I'm fine. I just had some weird dreams, is all," Shizuo remarked, taking another puff of his cigarette.

"...Shizuo, you're gonna die of cancer some day."

"...Tom, I don't think I'll make it to old age. That would be asking for too much," Shizuo remarked, pushing his sunglasses up a little further. "Hey, Tom...is it just me or is it too quiet around here?"

"Hmm...well, it is rather nice today. Maybe you can relax for a bit and stop thinking over these things too much." Tom reassured, and for a moment, Shizuo almost found himself believing his words. But a little voice inside his mind told him...the opposite.

'**Now's not the time to rest and relax. You've got people to watch out for, Shizuo. You'd best remember, sooner rather than later...'**

"Tom, is it normal for me to talk to myself?" Shizuo remarked.

"Shizuo, that's weird. But I suppose it's not out-of-character for someone like you. Oh, well, at least we can relax without him here stirring you up-"

"It stinks," Shizuo remarked, his grip tightening on the cigarette he held until it snapped into pieces. "...I know this stench. A putrid flea is nearby..."

Sure enough, there was a dark-haired young man lurking nearby, wearing a familiar fur jacket, who was smirking broadly at him. "Hi there, Shizu-channnn~!"

"S-Shizuo, try to calm down for a second, okay?" Tom said, but Shizuo wasn't even listening.

"Dammit...dammit...dammit...dammit...THAT BASTARD! WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING HERE? I'M GOING TO KILL HIM! I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!"

"Wait, Shizuo!" Tom cried out, but Shizuo had already left, ripping a signpost from the ground and using it as a weapon, which he flung at the informant.

"Bad aim today, Shizu-chan! You really are terrible at this, aren't you?" Izaya taunted, which predictably made Shizuo angry.

"IIIIIIIIIIIZZAAAYAAAAA, WHAT THE HELL HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT STEPPING INTO IKEBUKURO, DAMMIT!?"

"To come in all I want?" Izaya said sardonically.

"Ikebukuro is off-limits to a flea like you!"

"I don't think so, Shizu-channn..."

"DIE, FLEA!"

Sometimes the people of Ikebukuro wished they never knew of Izaya and Shizuo.


	11. Chapter 11 Fear

**A/N:I suppose I'm updating rather early today, huh? But It's not like I have anything better to do with my time. I really should be reading my books, ha ha ha! I will, though~I just want to let ya know that this story might be darker at times. Especially this chapter. More secrets will be revealed. **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11 Fear of myself<strong>

After fighting with Izaya for a little bit, Shizuo had gotten tired, and he went out with Tom for a while, and he was now paying a brief visit to Shinra's. As he did so, he couldn't help but notice that the doctor was acting quite strange, for some reason Shinra kept on repeating little phrases under his breath, like Alphonse, alchemy and Roy, all curious statements which made Shizuo's brow rise ever so slightly.

"What the hell are you going on about, Shinra?" He asked the doctor, who flinched.

"A-Ah, it's nothing, Shizuo. I'm really not sure what to say anymore, Shizuo. You really are a rough-and-tumble-guy, so I guess things like this are just gonna happen, huh?"

"Yeah," Shizuo said. "It's been a rough day for me today. People have been assholes, but you wanna know the worst part of it?"

"What's that?" Shinra asked Shizuo, looking concerned.

"People insulted my brother again. I hate it whenever they do that, it just pisses me off." He said.

* * *

><p><em>Shizuo was walking down the street with Tom, it was a nice, leisurely one, until he spotted two people that were talking, at the top of their lungs, and it seemed almost deliberate.<em>

_"Hey, Yuuhei Hanejima's such an ugly bastard. Did ja ever see his face? I mean, man, he's such a jerk and his movies suck. They're terrible! He has terrible acting and he's such a prick!" _

_Shizuo felt his fists tighten. Who the hell did these bastards think they were to insult his brother like that?_

_"Calm down, Shizuo," Tom said, noticing the blond's growing discomfort and how his muscles were already throbbing. "Just pretend they don't exist." _

_"Easier said than done," Shizuo growled under his breath. The two idiots hadn't noticed him yet, they were still too busy arguing. _

_One laughed derisively, "I know, man. I watched one of his movies and I almost fell asleep-no, wait I fell asleep during it. I slept through the entire thing because it was such a bore. He can't act worth crap. His stuff is so stupid. You know, I even went on his online accounts and told him that his stuff sucks and he needs a life, and you know, I don't think he even replied back! I'll bet you the little bitch is crying his life away because he's such a wimp." _

_Who did they think they were? Who did THEY think they were...a murderous rage started to overtake Shizuo. Tom put his hand on his friend's shoulder in an attempt to calm him down, noticing the blond's already shaking figure. _

_"Kill...kill...kill...kill...kill...kill..." Shizuo muttered under his breath as he stalked off towards the men, who turned to face him. _

_"Hey, what do you want?" _

_Shizuo's hands tightened around the cigarette he had, and cleaved it in two. 'Kill...' A small smirk made its way up his face as he stared at the men, who just looked at him. _

_"What do you want, huh? Are you gonna defend Yuuhei Hanejima, the actor who sucks?"_

_"Say..." Shizuo began, "Do you know what it's like to face death?"_

_"HUH?" They just looked at him like the idiots they were. _

_He cracked his fists together. "Do you know what it's like to face death, and know how to react to it? So, don't you think that your parents would be ashamed to hear you talkin' such garbage and using such vile language?"_

_"Who do ya think ya are, man? You think just because you wear that bartender outfit, you can act so to-" One man gaped as realization overtook him, "Oh no...you're-"_

_But he didn't even get to finish his sentence, because Shizuo's fist made contact with the man's jaw and sent him flying into a building. _

_"You're pretty goddamned lucky the flea isn't here right now, because I can beat the shit out of you!" He cursed. He picked up the man by his shirt and started to punch him, as hard as he could, ignoring Tom's shouts for him to stop. _

_"Looks like he's at it again," Tom muttered. _

_"Nobody insults __**him **__and gets away with it. I'll fucking kill you, I'll fucking murder you, you bastard!" _

_By the time he was finished, the man had a few broken bones and a broken rib. _

_"Shizuo, that's __**enough!" **__Tom said, coming over to Shizuo, who could oddly enough recall such an occasion where he had pounded a man with his own fists, until his brother had made him stop, someone who had also done something equally despicable. _

_"H-He really is a monster!" The other man cried, looking at him with fear. Those words made Shizuo hurt. He couldn't help it, and they deserved it for hurting his brother. Didn't they? Did they really...? _

_Before Shizuo could do anything, a familiar figure walked up to the second man and glared at him. _

_"Stay away from Heiwajima-san." _

_It was a voice he knew well; he turned to see Mikado, the kid from the other day, glaring at him._

_"W-Who the hell are you? Y-You think you can defend t-this monster?" _

_His eyes widened then as Mikado shot him such a cold, piercing stare that the other fled. _

_"I won't forget this!" He cried. _

_"What scum," He muttered, "Such people don't deserve to exist, do they?" _

_His gaze softened as he took in Shizuo. Shizuo realized then that he had dropped his true face of the Dollars leader and had instead donned his innocent school boy mask. "Hi there, Heiwajima-san, sorry about that. I don't know what's wrong with people sometimes! Are you okay? You're covered in blood!"_

_"Thanks for saving me, kid," Shizuo muttered. _

_"Is he a friend of yours?" Tom asked. _

_"Oh, Mikado, this is my friend, Tom Tanaka. We've known each other since high school," Shizuo introduced._

_"I'm Mikado Ryuugamine, I go to Raira Academy. I'm just a friend of Shizuo-san's, so I decided I'd step in."_

_"You're a brave kid," Tom said appraisingly. "Most people are too afraid to approach Shizuo."_

_"People are only afraid of what they can't understand," Mikado said, "And in a way, that makes them foolish, but that's how most people are, so I'm used to it."_

_"You sounded a bit like the flea for a moment," Shizuo stated._

_"A-Ah, no, pay them no mind. I'd never be as much of a jerk as Izaya. Definitely not. Doesn't it seem highly coincidental that they were insulting your brother when you were nearby?"_

_Shizuo's eyebrow rose. "I wonder if this is the flea's doing. He does whatever he can to make my life hell."_

_"I wouldn't be surprised if it was," Mikado said._

_"Izaya's a dangerous fellow. You shouldn't go near him," Tom said._

_Mikado just sighed. "Yeah, I wish I could say that, but Izaya just does whatever he wants. But one day, he will learn the hard way." He said as a smirk made its way on his face._

_"Oh, Shizuo, we've got business to take care of and let's stop by Shinra's for now." Tom said, "Talk to you soon, kid."_

_"See you, kid," Shizuo said. _

_Mikado shook his hand, and Shizuo didn't notice the smirk that lasted on Mikado's face after he left. _

_"Sometimes, that kid worries me, Tom," Shizuo said to his friend, who couldn't help but nod his head in assent. _

"It looks like I'll have no problem freeing the Dollars of any bad influences. Shizuo is clearly a good member. He's perfect for it. I've just gotta get rid of the people in the Dollars who are bad or a nuisance, like Orihara-san." He whispered.

'**Yes, just get rid of the useless ones,' **A voice whispered in his mind, '**If they can't obey your orders and live up to your duties, why have them around?' **

"Yes, exactly, all we've gotta do is get rid of them and then the Dollars will be just fine!" Mikado announced to himself. As far as he could remember, he'd always been a different boy than others his age; he'd always been rather cold, distant, and hard to approach. He was less fond of interacting with those his age and would rather interact with those older.

Those who tried to talk to him had been surprised when Mikado showed them that he knew more than they did, and yet they treated him like dirt. The only person who'd actually even bothered to see past the cold, calm facade and see the gentle, kind boy underneath was Kida.

He was very grateful to Kida. Kida was the most important person in his life. Was Heiwajima-san becoming that way as well? Mikado had to wonder over that. Blue eyes widened slightly as his cell phone rang and he flipped it open in time to see a new text message.

_~Hi, Mikado-kun? Are you ready to play a game with me?_

_Stop. __**I'm not playing any games with you, Orihara-san.' **_Mikado wrote back.

The phone rang a few moments later.

'_~Oh, Mikado-kun, I think you'll be very, very, very interested in knowing what I've got to talk about. Have you ever heard of something called homunculi?'_

Mikado raised a brow. **'Aren't they mythological creatures?' **He wrote.

'_~Yes, they are, kinda like Valhalla, but I'm quite interested in this topic for some reason. The homunculi sound very fascinating. It makes you wonder what went through the minds of their twisted creators, hmm?'_

Why did that word...send a strange feeling crawling over Mikado? It kinda made him afraid, and he didn't know why. Why? Why was he afraid of that word?

_**'Pardon me, but I have to get going now,' **_Mikado texted back, slapping his phone shut.

"Hey, Mikado, what are you doing?" Came the voice of Kida Masaomi. Mikado looked over and noticed how Kida, too, was looking at him like he was expecting a monster to walk out of his own skin and attack.

"H-Hey, it's just me, Masaomi, you know I'd never hurt you or anything...what's wrong?"

"I'm scared..." Mikado muttered, which startled Kida. To see such a look on the teen's face...

"Hey, Mikado, what happened? Did Izaya do something to you? Are the Dollars in any danger? W-What's going on?" Kida asked.

"I'm...Kida...it's..." He tried to speak, but realized he couldn't. "Kida...I'm feeling...scared..of..._myself. _It feels like I'm losing it."

"Mikado?" Masaomi muttered. "Did you get a bad grade on a test or something? Did you fail to ask a girl out...?"

"No," Mikado whimpered, unable to explain what it was that made him so afraid. Masaomi was strongly reminded of when Mikado was a young child and would jump into his arms for comfort after he'd been bullied.

"Hey, Mikado, calm down...this is kind of embarrassing...you don't need to cry," Masaomi urged.

"I don't want to cry..."

"Then why are you acting this way?" Kida asked.

"I don't know..."

And that was probably the scariest thing. That word; homunculi, had scared the hell out of him and he couldn't understand why. Was he afraid of himself? Mikado felt like there was a strange, evil presence inside him, one that was threatening to devour him whole...

He buried his head in Kida's chest, ignoring the blond teen's words of concern.

"Mikado, what's _happening_ to you?" Kida whispered, extremely worried over his dear friend. First he had that icy personality and now this...something was terribly wrong.


	12. Chapter 12 deja vu

**A/N:Time to work on some stories today, regardless of if I have no ideas, I'm gonna go with the first thing that hits my mind! Okay. I hope you all like it. I don't own anything. And I hope that Net Neutrality thing won't kill the internet. I sure hope the FCC won't kill fanfiction or tumblr. I'll be screwed. XD Creative ideas, but nowhere to put them! **

**Chapter 12 confessions and confusions**

* * *

><p>Masaomi Kida stared at his best friend Mikado as he led him into a cafe, ignoring his whimpers; while patting his back. "Hey, relax, Mikado, everything will be all right! I'm here for you, remember? Now, tell me what's wrong."<p>

He helped Mikado into a chair, ignoring the other's furtive looks at him as he took a seat across from him. "Come on, let's order some food from the menu, this should help ease your mind, you know." He said gently, smiling.

This time, Mikado seemed to brighten a little, if the smile on his face wasn't an indication. "...Thank you, Masaomi. You don't need to do so much for me."

"Don't be an idiot...you're _my _friend, stupid. That's why I do this for you."

"Even...even if I'm a monster?" Mikado mumbled.

"Sorry, what was that, Mikado?" Masaomi asked.

Mikado lifted his head up. "...Would you hate me if I was a m-monster?"

Masaomi looked at him as though he were nuts. "What the hell are you saying, Mikado? I'd never hate you."

"Don't lie! You fear me, you were scared of me when I told you I was the leader of the Dollars!" Mikado shook again, as more tears came down his face. Masaomi sighed.

"I...fear myself, too, Mikado. I have weird dreams as well. I can't quite explain them. But, who we are in our past doesn't matter. It's who we are now. And the way I see it, we are friends, right?"*

Mikado looked at him with wide eyes. "What are these dreams about...?"

"Hm, in them I'm some kind of prince. It's weird and it doesn't make much sense."** Masaomi mused.

"Masaomi?" Mikado asked his friend, who blinked.

"A-Ah, sorry, was I spacing out? I didn't mean to, honest, I sometimes get lost in my own thoughts, you know how that works." Masaomi lied, brushing off his awkward feelings. Though, to be honest, being a prince...how would that work for someone like him exactly? Someone who was a coward, who ran from things...someone who just so happened to possess a bit of possessiveness over what they wanted most, and held dear.

Would the word be...avarice? Or...greed? He didn't know why, but a shudder rose from Masaomi involuntarily, that Mikado noticed, if the slight rising of his eyebrow was of any indication.

"Masaomi, are you okay?"

Masaomi shook the weird feeling off as soon as it came, smiling and patting his head. "Let's order some sandwiches and forget about it."

"It's not easy to forget it so easily..." Mikado remarked.

Masaomi sighed as he took his order and sat down, only for his eyes to widen as Izaya came in and sat down beside them. "Get the hell away from me!"

"My, Masaomi-kun, that's not very polite-"

"IZAYAAAA, LEAVE HIM ALONE! LEAVE RYUUZAKI ALONE!"

"My name's Ryuugamine Mikado," Mikado whimpered upon seeing the burly bartender there, who frowned at the other man.

"...Right. Anyhow, get the fuck away from him, ya stupid flea!" Shizuo picked up Izaya and dragged him outside, ignoring his protests.

"Looks like he's gonna get his ass kicked," Masaomi remarked as they ate their lunch. "So, care to tell me just what's troubling you? So, what happens in these dreams?"

"...I...I'm a person who kills people. It's awful...I pretend to be a nice person and then I hurt people. It's not like me at all, but lately I feel like I'm slipping off the edge with no way out."

Masaomi listened, and then shoved a piece of bread in Mikado's mouth, causing him to gag and spit it out. "Shut up and eat. I know you worry too much. That's why I look out for you. I protect what's mine and don't let anyone take it from me. Hey, I have...a girlfriend, if you'd ever like to meet her. Izaya got me involved with gangs...I never wanted to get you involved, but seeing as you know, I might as well spill some of our secrets. I'm kinda...a..how should I put it correctly...a greedy person?"

"No, Masaomi's not greedy. You're a brave person. You're better than I could ever be. And yes, I'd love to meet your girlfriend."

Later on, Masaomi got up, after paying the bill for the waiter, he sighed, putting his hands behind his neck, as he brushed his hands against his neck, it was like he felt a sudden electricity go through him for no reason. "Huh..."

His eyes widened as he saw a person pass by them, a dark-haired woman with long hair wearing very risque clothing, somehow he felt...drawn to her, somehow. His eyes rested on hers for a moment, but upon noticing her stare back at him, Masaomi suddenly felt uncomfortable. His eyes darted away from her.

* * *

><p>"Like what you see, boy?" She said, pushing her hair back and pulling her shirt up suggestively. It was then that he noticed an odd tattoo on her chest; one that looked like a star with a lion or snake on it, and his heart suddenly started to pound incredibly fast. It was almost like that symbol...like that damned symbol had unlocked something within him...something forgotten, something BEGGING to be remembered by a forgotten soul.<p>

"...Uh, no. Sorry, I have a girlfriend. Come on, Mikado, let's go."

But he noticed how her gaze rested on Mikado for a few moments, and her mouth fell open as a single name slipped her lips, no, a word.

"..._Pride?_ Is it you?"

Masaomi looked from the woman to Mikado. He felt incredibly unnerved by this and uneasy. "...Do you know her, Mikado?" He asked.

Mikado shook his head, holding onto Masaomi's hand tighter. "N-No, I'm sorry, ma'am. I've never met you before in my life. Sorry. We have to go."

"But I need to talk to you-" She said, placing her hand on Mikado's school uniform, only for Masaomi to grab Mikado and lead him out of the restaurant, practically running out of there at a high speed. He wasn't quite sure why, but something about that woman screamed dangerous. He didn't like her. He didn't know who this Pride person was, but it was not his Mikado. It was not Mikado, his innocent best friend. Well, maybe not quite innocent. But still not him.

"Who the hell was that, Masaomi?" Mikado panted as they stopped, several blocks later, and near their respective houses.

"I...don't know. Why don't you stay at my place for the afternoon? I don't feel like running into that person again." Masaomi said. "Did you notice her freaky tattoo?"

Mikado nodded his head. "Is it a symbol of some cult or something?"

"I dunno...but I don't want to think about it anymore. Let's go."

So they headed in for the day, watching tv shows and playing some video games Masaomi had lying around.

"Masaomi?"

"Yeah?" The blond said, looking up from where he was playing his game.

"...Are you hiding something? You looked like you were scared of that woman."

"Who wouldn't be? For all we know, she could be a member of a gang trying to kidnap you. But I'll protect you, Mikado. I won't let anything like that happen."

'Not ever...' He hissed in his mind. Perhaps he was a bit greedy.

* * *

><p>Lust frowned. That Japanese boy...he looked just like Pride...with that dark hair, but the eyes were different and the body language completely off. She swore that boy was his reincarnation. But that annoying brat, the blond-haired youth had intervened. Was he the alchemist? No, but he seemed to know her, from how he'd reacted.<p>

"...Could he be...Greed?" She whispered. "He certainly didn't look or act like him. I never thought my fellow Homunculi could be reborn as ordinary humans. How ironic this is. What should I do...?"

*-Quote Kassim says to Alibaba in Magi.

**-Reference to my story Compromised Reality, where Masaomi is a prince known as Alibaba. Please review that fanfic, people. And the part about it not making sense refers to how nonsensical the Magi world is.

_So, did anyone get who Masaomi is? I bet you know by now. _


	13. Chapter 13

This awesome fanfic woke up the sleeping plunnies for this story. Anything but Normal had Pride as the main character, which helped me think of more ideas for Mikado/Pride. So, so far we have on this list:

Ed=Shizuo

Al=Kasuka

Winry=Mika

Roy=Izaya

Hughes=Shinra

Kida=Ling/Greed

Mikado=Pride

More to be added? Hm, where are Sloth, Gluttony, Envy, and Father? That shall be seen. And maybe Hohenheim should be added, too! Shizuo needs to be in this more, seeing as he's Ed. Haha, so used to writing Kida as Ed. Really, both of them are similar, but Shizuo's more interesting.

* * *

><p>Chapter 13 reunions and awakening memories<p>

Shizuo picked up his cell phone and found a message on it, from his brother, Kasuka.

He answered it, wondering what this could be all about, having noticed the weird dreams he'd been having.

Was it possible that Kasuka knew something?

Why was it that Kasuka wasn't afraid of him throwing things at people?

"...Yo, Kasuka, I have a question for you. What are you hiding?"

The silence on the other end was deafening. For a second, Shizuo assumed his brother had hung up on him, but after what felt like an eon of silence, Kasuka answered.

"That depends on what you mean, brother. Have you...remembered?"

"Huh? Do ya mean these freakin' annoying dreams that are pissing me off? Because if that's what you mean, then yeah, they're pissing me off! So I figure you know something, Kasuka, fucking tell me!"

"...I don't have much time. But do you believe in reincarnation?"

"Ha, bunch of garbage if you ask me," Shizuo said, taking a puff of his cigarette.

"Smoking will kill you, brother." Kasuka said.

"I don't care. Tell me the truth, Kasuka." Shizuo said seriously.

"Well, Nii-san, basically we're the reincarnations of alchemists and we have undead creatures coming after us because they want us dead. Again." Kasuka said.

"...That pisses me off. And it makes no damned sense." Shizuo said, having punched a hole in a building.

"Nii-san, watch your temper." Kasuka cautioned.

However, Shizuo had gone on another one of his fights with Izaya.

"See ya around, Kasuka. Gotta flea's ass to kick."

Kasuka sighed on the other line as he put the phone down.

"How many times can I honestly tell Brother before he'll listen?" He moaned.

"And besides, why did Mustang-san have to become such an asshole?" Kasuka said to himself.

He remembered when the man had been a decent, respectable person.

* * *

><p>Mikado wasn't sad, or happy.<p>

Mikado felt empty.

The poor kid needed a place to be in life.

That was why he had created the Dollars.

He had wanted to feel like he had a purpose.

Unfortunately, the eviller part of his mind was now influencing him.

"You know, humans are pathetic," A little boy with gleaming violet, no, blue irises, whispered, wrapping his arms around Mikado. "Why do you control them? Isn't it better to kill them?"

"They are my friends. I'm not a monster!" Mikado shouted back, feeling much braver than he actually was, as his knees started buckling.

The little boy laughed raucously.

"Is that so?" He said, "Well, Mikado Ryuugamine, you don't sound very brave. What about how you flinched when someone said homunculus?"

That word again.

Mikado flinched. "Please don't say it...I'm human!" He whined.

"No, you're not. Humans are weak, you're something more powerful than that." Pride said, "You are pride incarnate. You are Pride. When did you become so weak, pretending to be a human? Pretending to ignore Father's wishes for a better world?"

"I don't know...what you're talking about! I'm human, and so are you! There's nothing wrong with having pride! It's wrong to look down on others."

"Is that so?" Pride said, grinning broadly. His shadows wrapped around Mikado, who screamed. "Relax, they can't hurt you, they can only hurt others. Don't you remember how you killed those gangsters? It was with my help."

Mikado looked on in horror as the shadows replayed the scene. "Please...stop. I only did that because they were hurting Kida..."

"Aha, wounding your friend? Wounding your pride? That sounds more like the ruthless homunculus we are!" Pride chirped, throwing a pen into Mikado's hands. "You have nice aim with a pen. Have you ever gotten hungry for human souls?"

Mikado looked sick. "No...please, go away. I don't want to harbor a monster like you."

"Monster? Me, the monster? I have had to dwell for 16 years within an idiotic, weak, pathetic human like you. Only recently have you been of some use to me. Nonetheless, I'm not killing you, as that would mean killing both of us. What I'm interested to know is if you actually want to know what homunculi are. Do you? And what of Kida? Don't you know who he is?"

"Stop lying to me!" Mikado shouted.

"He's-or was, one of us. He's not anymore. He's not like you and I. Most of them are busy dreaming their lives. It's time for us to awaken all of them to their memories. It's just best if we dispose of that meddlesome guy."

"Meddlesome guy?" Mikado asked, getting up, glaring at the other boy.

"Shizuo Heiwajima. He stands in my way. If he regains his memories, he's worthless."

"I won't let you use my body to hurt him! He's innocent."

Pride smiled and then started laughing insanely.

"What's so funny?" Mikado demanded.

"It's funny that you say he's innocent. He's the one who caused us to be like this!" Pride flicked Mikado's forehead. "Remember, I am always watching you. You are never alone, Mikado Ryuugamineeee~how long until you can wake up and become a true homunculus?"

"Stop it! I'm not like you! I'm not a cold monster!" He shrieked.

"Aw, that's so sweet, he thinks he can fight back. You're always hiding behind Izaya's back, behind that girl Anri, behind Kida. Admit it, you're useless." Pride said.

"I'M NOT USELESS!" Mikado cried, glaring coldly at the other.

"That's it, that's it!" Pride purred, "Unleash that cold side of you. Let the shadows take over you!"

"Mikado!"

Mikado looked around.

"Ah, a meddler. I bet it's that irritating blond friend of yours." Pride said, shrugging his shoulders.

Mikado was still shaking.

"Mikado, wake up!"

Mikado tried to move, but he was frozen stiff.

"Why can't I move?" He moaned.

"Oh, that's right, I forgot to say that I can induce sleep paralysis in you unless you do as I say?" He said cheerily.

"Mikado, wake up, dammit!"

"...I'll help you..."

Pride's smile widened.

"But if you do anything to hurt my friends or Heiwajima-san, the deal's off, all right?"

"All right, then." Pride said, "Go ahead, wake up, your true mission will come later, Mikado."

Pride faded into the shadows of Mikado's mind as Mikado awoke, looking wildly around his room.

Kida was above him.

"Thank goodness, Mikado! I was so worried about you, you were talking to yourself in your sleep and screaming, then you wouldn't move! Is something wrong, Mikado? Why are you...?"

Mikado let the tears fall down his face as he buried his face in Kida's shirt and let the tears fall.

"Mikado...hey, stop it, buddy. I can help you, you know."

"N-No, you can't..." Mikado's voice was smaller, but growing more laced with desperation. He could feel his friend was losing his fucking mind, and goddammit if Kida Masaomi wasn't pissed off by it. "There's a voice in my head...he's telling me to hurt other people...he says I'm not human."

"Say what?" Kida asked, looking at him with a mixture of shock and confusion. "Mikado, you're-"

"I'm not crazy!" Mikado moaned. "Could a crazy person do this?"

Suddenly, Kida and Mikado's shadows connected to reveal several black shadows coming out from behind Mikado's prone form.

"What the hell is that?" Kida asked, backing away slightly.

"I don't know..." Mikado moaned. "I'm a demon..."

Kida hugged him again. As quickly as they'd appeared, the shadows retreated as soon as Mikado's anger abated.

"You mind explaining what's going on?" Kida asked.

"Kida-kun...have you seen a tattoo like this before?" Mikado asked before googling up a picture of an ouroboros symbol.

Kida's eyes grew pale.

"Yeah, yeah I have." He said softly.

"Where?" Mikado asked.

"...The thing is, Mikado, you might want to check out your back. You have a symbol like that there." He said quietly. "It feels more like a birthmark."

Mikado's eyes widened. "What he said is true...I'm a monster!"

"You're not a monster, Mikado." Kida said, "If you are, then I'm-"

'Just as bad.' He thought, his eyes narrowing.


End file.
